1546/A Royal Reception

A Royal Reception
Date of Scene:	10 February 2015
Location:	Betwixt
Synopsis:	The Quilt Monarchs hold a party to celebrate the elites of the Multiverse.
Cast of Characters:	Kotone Yamakawa, 172, 256, Tomoyo Daidouji, 673, 697, 709

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Mary Isofon (697) has posed:
    The moment one is through the warpgate, there would be no question at all as to whether they're in the right place or not. Immediately in front of the thing is a stony overpass festooned with balloons and and a gargantuan banner reading 'WELCOME, MULTIVERSALS!'. The atmosphere isn't the only thing to give them a warm welcome, though: locals would be gathered around the entrance in a large circle, breathing room given to the visitors only via crowd control provided by some local knights. The -true- oddity of it all, though, is that these people are not people at all, but rather stuffed animals that would likely not be any taller than Tomoyo and Sakura. In fact, this is a world they might feel tall in, and anyone of adult size might feel as though they'd fallen into some children's book, or a toychest. Or even a bedspread; by all appearances, the ground beneath their feet is a blanket of such titanic size that it could serve as a resting place for multiple iterations of Leviathan.

    This pervasive oddity does not relent as the one who had written to invite them here appears before them, either. A bumbling, thin-framed plush rabbit with a twirling mustache, squinting eyes, and a top hat as dapper as his purple-on-yellow suit, would clamber over to them, his headwear impossibly clinging to his head even as he bows low, low to the ground in acknowledgment of the visitors. "W-Welcome, welcome~! Welcome, oh guests of honor, to Cottonwood Proper! Verily, I am he who invited you: Kale K. Rott, Prime Minister of the Monarchy of Plush!" 'Cottonwood'. 'Monarchy of Plush'. Suddenly the ground, the pillows on the branches of the trees, and maybe even the people would start to make a bit more sense. "A-As you can see," His arms would open wide in gesture to the world around him, "I am not the only one who is absolutely thrilled to meet you! Oh yes oh yes, we've -all- been looking forward to this day for a very long time! Or... eh, perhaps it would be more appropriate to say what FEELS like a very long time, but either way we bear the same excitement for its happening!" All throughout his speech, he would be offering handshakes to each individual, moving on only when he has addressed every person properly.

    "B-But here's not where you're going to stay!" He would attempt to take Sakura and Tomoyo emphatically by the hand, leading them merrily down several steps of the pink cobblestone road before spinning on his heels to face the rest of the group again. "We've a party to attend! Food to eat! -Beautiful- sights to see! In fact, I believe the angels have even put together a special presentation to celebrate your arrival! So follow, follow! We will be sure you want for nothing!" He would raise his arms again, letting his palms fly flat. "Isn't that right, everyone~?" The crowd would roar its approval, fluorescent flags flying in their tiny hands and many a paw waving its way skyward. If absolutely nothing else in the world, these people have no small quantity of zeal for life, and they seem fully intent to share those feelings in the form of good hospitality.

Mary Isofon (697) has posed:
    If they allow it, though, Minister K. Rott would lead the group down the glistening streets, past oodles of archways wrought from candy cane pairs, through the wide doorway underneath the overpass, and by no small number of Victorian style houses where yet more banners -- 'Welcome, friends!', 'Good day from Cottonwood!', 'We're so glad you're here!', and others -- are flown with pride. Others would stand on the rooftops themselves, gently tossing down confetti that would rain upon them all, and some younger children may step out from the sidelines to offer wreathes, or leis, or even jewelery. It might all be a bit much for a person to take, but any misgivings they arrive with would likely fade quickly. This is just the way these people are, it seems: jovial, warm, and innocent in ways that make it easy to treat complete strangers as family. It might charm some and make others immensely awkward, but whatever the case, this seems to be reality here.

    Finally, though, they would arrive in the center of town. This area is at the peak of a massive number of tiered seats which face toward a lowered stage, itself accessible by stairways that lattice through each row of arrangements. They wouldn't go down there, though -- Kale would lead the group under yet more glistening red awnings at the top, bringing them ultimately to a special viewing section beside the crimson-gold affair that is, in all likelihood, the king's seat. He would gesture to a row of twenty-some seats reserved just for the Multiversal crew, his cheeks practically glowing with rosiness. "H-Here is where you may sit if it pleases you, Lords and Ladies. The king should arrive shortly, whereupon he will welcome you formally with a speech. Thank you all again for coming! So, so very much!" He would bow precisely three more times before having a seat in a slightly smaller, gilded blue-silver seat beside the king's own.

    ... ah, but it would appear someone else has already found her way to the section reserved for the incoming visitors. Contrary to everything around her, she would be wearing a permanent scowl and a set of narrowed eyes, one leg crossed over the other in a manner that would almost seem to suggest impatience. She has a blanket worn around her neck as though it were a cape, from whose midst an arm would emerge to beckon them near.

    "Pardon the loudness. And the annoying freaking parades. Oh, and the garish fantasy aesthetic. If I was gonna get you people here on my terms I kinda had to pull a few strings, though. You get it." Her cheek would slump against her balled fist, and she would stare at them all with those same, dim emerald spheres of hers. "'Course, you can just ignore me and go on celebrating if you want, but I have an offer that I think might really appeal to people who wanna be heroes. Or just get filthy rich -- that works too. Lemme know if you're interested some point before you leave. Or after, if you gimme your phone number... or whatever it is you people use out there."

Sakura Kinomoto (172) has posed:
    Sakura's face is a mask of excited glee the moment she's through the warp gate, a huge smile on her face as she staaaares around in awe. "Oh my gosh it's like... It's like..." She has no words to describe what it's like, it seems. "Oh, we should have brought Kero, he'd be totally at home here!" She laughs, resisting the urge to just twirl.

    As Kale approaches and bows, Sakura bows as well! She's currently wearing a pink cocktail dress, long white opera gloves, and white, high-heeled sandals. Her dress is decorated with yellow stars around the hem, and she has cherry blossom hair decorations holding up her side-tail. "Hello! I'm Sakura Kinomoto. Pleased to meet you, Mister Rott!" Smiiiile.

    She doesn't resist having ehr hand grabbed, and allows herself to be lead along, just smiling brightly all the while. As they reach the banqueting area, she's still in 'awe-struck looking around' mode, and barely registers the woman for a few moments. She then blinks, as if leaving a daze. "Um... hi?"

Tomoyo Daidouji has posed:
     Tomoyo is here! When she heard there would be a party in a fantasy world, well... of course she was going to make the time! Unfortunately, in between the commissions she's taken, she didn't have time to make a new dress, so she adapted an old one.

     As such, she's clad in a dark purple ball gown with tiered skirts, her hair tied into a French braid and her fringe held back with a black hairband with a white rose. On her feet, she wears a pair of black wedge heels. In addition, she has a video camera on a strap over her shoulder.

     When she passes through the portal and arrives in Figment, she too is amazed. Looking around with dazzled eyes at the plush people, the cotton trees and blanket land, she claps her hands together with delight. "Oh wow... it's even more than I thought. This is so amazing~"

     She offers the bunny king a little curtsy before shaking his hand firmly. "It's a pleasure to be here, Mister Rott~ I'm Tomoyo Daidouji, thank you for inviting me." She too, allows herself to be dragged along the path, marvelling at the sights! Turning on her camera, she lifts it to her eyes and starts recording.

     Upon arriving at the table, she lowers her camera to gracefully brushes her skirts under her so she can sit comfortably... when she hears a familiar voice. Looking over, she sees Mary, and gasps! "Oh! Miss Mary, is that you?"

Yulia Koslova (256) has posed:
    This is quite possibly The Cutest Thing That Yulia Has Ever Seen. EVER.
    The young human woman's eyes have been wide practically from the moment she stepped through the warpgate, though at some point she did finally have both the manners and the mind to shut her mouth rather than leave it hang agape. She'll follow along with the others, wide-eyed and trying oh so hard not to stare...or at least not stare -rudely-, since that's, you know, rude.
    It's almost overwhelming, the cuteness.
    Around about the point where they reach the viewing tent that's apparently been raised in all of their honors, some of that cute-fueled bemusement begins to fade, and she manages to tear herself away from looking and gazing at everything around them to finally look over to the rest of the invitees. "...this place really is real, isn't it?" she says in a whisper, not really wanting to offend their hosts, but just in case this might be some illusion.
    The other young woman that meets them all there is notable for -not- being cheerful and enthusiastic, which of course makes her stand out. "Um. I thought we were asked here because someone already thinks we're heroes? Or did I misread the invitation?"

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
Kotone had found one of the adverts ans she was curious to come see this place. She needed to get out, she needed to get away from the horror of her own home and Kingsmouth. She just needed to get away really, thus here she is is. She bows slightly as she's greeted.

"Thank you still this does feel like it's a bit much."

She's looking embrased after all as far as the multiverse goes? She's a nobody.

She moves in to follow but the mention of food has got her attention. Oh so very much got her attwntion. She moves along trying to take in the crowds also the living plush animals this odesn't bother her too much really.

"This really is somerhing."

She does not know the other arrivals save Tomoyo? Whom she just knows from her adds. Ylia does get a reply.

"Yes this is real, Miss."

Rory White (673) has posed:
    When Kotone had said something about strange newcomers to the Multiverse just hoping to meet WHOEVER, Rory'd thought that maybe they were joking. Who could respond that way?

    But no. They were not joking and Kotone really did want her to come!

    Rory emeres from the warpgate via a short hop, thus she falls a good foot from the ground to land after emerging and lands daintily. The strangely blue-haired young woman's wearing something rather like a labcoat but much more fashionable and stylish. The surroundings are taken in with a few quick glances and...

    Marveled at!

    Try as she might, she an't stop staring at much of it, even as the dapper bunny hops up! "Rory White of the Argonauts! Pleased to meet you, sir!"

    Normally she has trouble with body language.

    But only when she's not genuinely feeling something too strongly. Right now? She's exuberant. Ecstatic! Like a little kid!

    And she's following in a hurry!

    So she seats herself, but is confused by the less-than-happy stranger at the table. Rory turns a blinking, bewildered gaze at the scowling one...

    "U-....uhhh?"

Fujiwara no Mokou (709) has posed:
    Royal parties are not really in Mokou's habits. One could say with fair reason she doesn't really like royalty in general, but it's also not every day you find an ad for a party specifically ~in your honor~. This is a critical misunderstanding on her part that fortunately won't amount to much in the end.

    The girl (well, late teenager, possibly early adult, it's difficult to tell) that steps in through the Warp Gate has long white hair that reaches down to her feet, with a few red and white paper talismans in them here and there. Her bright red eyes match her bright red pants, also adorned with the same talismans. The plain white shirt, although it looks a bit formal, in that old-Japanese sort of way, makes her look like a tomboy more than anything, if the pants didn't already. This is Fujiwara no Mokou, one of the oldest beings in Gensokyo, and proud owner of its only pair of pants (this is not a literal statement but you'll have a hard time disproving it anyway!).

    For a party in her honor, she expected more pyrotechnics. Or more Kaguya-shaped pinatas. This isn't bad, though. The fact it's not a party in her honor, so much as outsiders in general, is quickly forgotten at the sight of the festivities. Though she doesn't go for a seat right away, even when it's offered.

    "Oh. Uh, Fujiwara no Mokou. Nice to meet... all of you?" This is a lot of people. Probably more than she's interacted with in the last... several centuries, actually. A bit overwhelming, truth be told. Focusing on one person is much easier. "Offer? I don't care about being rich, but I guess if there's people in need of saving I'm not one to look away."

Mary Isofon (697) has posed:
    Kale would chuckle to Sakura and Tomoyo, returning their enthusiasm with yet more smiles of his own. To each of their remarks he would bat a hand against the air. "O-Oh no, Misses Kinomoto and Daidouji, no! The pleasure is entirely mine, I promise you. It is such a sweet thing to have young, enthusiastic visitors like yourselves. I am sure you will delight many hearts with your presence here, as you've already touched mine." If he's allowed to, he would give them each pats on the head before continuing in his walk, arms wrapped officially behind his back, but never in a way that would make him seem the least bit intimidating. It would be pretty impressive if a sapient plush rabbit in a purple suit could -ever- be intimidating, though, to be honest.

    At Yulia's question, Kale would look back and give a small nod of his head. "T-The miss with the teal hair has the right of it, she does. This place is indeed real! Realer than, I daresay, for all the life and energy of those who live here! It is our home, our pride, our joy! We are a nation founded on trust and love in one another, and I like to believe it shows in every inch of our architecture and, surely," He would turn to face her more fully, "our treatment of our guests." The more he talks, the more the others might get the impression that Kale is something like a jolly old grandpa, or butler. In this way, he's the epitome of his surroundings.

    By the king's chair, Mary would finally have an opportunity to respond to the visitors as well. Sakura would get a quirk of her brow, first, then a very flat "Yo." Tomoyo, for her part, would receive some degree of recognition. "... oh. Aren't you that girl who talked to me on the radio before? Yup. It's me, Mary. Guessing you're that Tomoyo girl?" Based on their proximity to one another, she would hazard a guess: "This Sakura girl your friend or something?"

    Then, Yulia. "Oh, you didn't misread the invitation. But didn't you wonder why a world that /just/ popped up here would /instantly/ think you're all such great people?" She would quirk an expectant eyebrow before proceeding to answer the implict question herself. "... that's 'cause I told them so. I knew if I did that they would plan something like this, and that would give me a chance to meet a bunch of you guys in person. Which is good, because I have a few favors to ask." She would make a shrugging gesture. "You can totally ignore that part, though. If you just came for cake, there's plenty of that. And if you came to have a fat guy talk your ear off, there's plenty of that too. Or, there will be anyway." Kotone and Rory would both get lingering looks, but she wouldn't acknowledge them yet. She would acknowledge Mokou, though, since she responded to her offer. "Good, good. Then we can talk about that after fatso finishes with the introductory ceremonies."

    Soon, though, the group would begin to feel dull, rhythmic tremors that are accompanied by a light -BOOM-ing sound that quickly quiets the audience. Their flags stop flying, their whistles stop blowing, and all of the sudden a quiet overtakes the area. The cause is not left in the air for long, as the group would quickly notice another plush rabbit. He is a behemoth in his world, standing at at least three-times K. Rott's height and having a belly that extends out past where his whole body would if you were to lay it flat. His face is decorated with a thick, twisting beard and a mustaches that wiggles with a mind of its own as he stomps his way over to the crowd. In complete silence, he would land in his seat, causing many of the chairs nearby -- including Kale's -- to launch a few centimeters into the sky.

    He maintains a stoic look, for a time, his head carefully appraising his audience. When he finally decides that everything is to his liking, his right paw would raise into the air, and he would make a bold proclamation, more than loud enough without a speaker to reach the ears of all:

Mary Isofon (697) has posed:
    "WELCOME, everyone!" The cheers and waves would resurrect themselves in their full strength, claps overtaking the stadium before his speech has even begun. Thankfully, though, his voice is large enough to speak over it all, silencing them again in its passage. "THIS, I am quite sure we can agree, is a glorious day! For we welcome HEROES and HEROINES from every corner of the 'Multiverse' that we have recently been introduced to to our home, so that they might know how much we cherish them!" He would turn his head to face them, gesturing toward them as if in presentation. "TAKE a bow, all of you! You deserve all the happiness we have to share with you for your bravery, your compassion, your concern for your fellow being! You will ever have a home here. WILL they not, my friends? Come, let them here you!" Again, his paws would raise skyward, calling forth another, far longer session of cheers and shouts. In this interval, Kale would scramble over to them, whispering in Tomoyo's ear on behalf of all of them: 'N-Now is when you bow! You should!'

    "BUT, I will not occupy all your time with my silly words. Rather, I will SHOW you how we appreciate you! Bring forth the FIREWORKS!" He would stand up outright now, the rumbling thud that comes of his foot tapping the ground signaling several cannons to emerge from the lowest tiers of the crowd, forming a five pointed star with their formation. All of them would face the center of the stage and upward, at which point the king would speak again to instruct them further. "ARE you ready?" 'Sir, yes sir!' would respond the unified voices of the plush knights. "THEN you will aim... and... and...!"

    "FIRE!"

    That resounding bellow would elicit a series of bangs from the cannons, all five of them working in unison to summon up a storm of mystical sparks that flash lavender and cyan, cherry and lime, falling together in the forms of stars, crowns, flowers, and even cookies. The crowds would 'oooh' and 'aaahhh' in approval, only a slight interval of delay existing before they would begin to applaud again.

Sakura Kinomoto (172) has posed:
    Sakura tilts her head slightly. "...Mister Rott, are you okay? I, don't meant to be rude, but you seem to be stammering a lot..." She mmhs a little bit. And then... the king! She's startled by his appearance, quite obviously, as she takes a half-step back of surprise and reaches for... something... behind her back. But as nothing happens, she quickly regains her composure!

    When instructed to bow to the crowd, she puts her hands behind her back and bows low to them, a bright smile on her face.

Mary Isofon (697) has posed:
    Kale would look to Sakura when he next has the opportunity, the corners of his eyes drooping faintly. "A-Ah, you'll pardon me!" And his cheeks flush. "I-It's something of a... habit. A 'tick', if you will. It is difficult for me to initiate my sentences without stammering, just as it is difficult for His Majesty to begin speaking without shouting. Please forgive us our quirks, Miss Kinomoto!" He would bow deeply, even apologetically. This seems like something he's a bit embarrassed about.

Yulia Koslova (256) has posed:
    Mary's explanation makes a great deal more sense than the invitation did, really. "Of course. Someone always wants something..." Yulia says very quietly to herself. She doesn't seem all that upset over it, though. In fact, strange as it might seem to the others in this merry little band, knowing that comes as something of a relief!
    A short lived relief, as the World's Largest Velveteen Rabbit has come to greet them! Down goes the woman's jaw in surprise again. Oh. Wow. Oh, wait, she's been told to bow. She should do that, right? Right! And she does. (And she's practiced it enough that she even knows how to do it properly.)
    Then...fireworks? Fireworks! Those are lovely, and for a moment Mary's words are forgotten as she breaks into a broad grin.
    At some point she -will- remember to introduce herself. Bt that point hasn't happened yet.

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
Kotone Yamakawa sees quite the party and then it hits her.

"Please forgive me! I'm Kotone Yamakwa!"

She had indeed dragged Rory along, the girl needed to get out more, and Kotone was very good at making that happen it seemed.

She looks to KAle and bows again.

"This is quiote the party I ahve to say it seesm this world is willing to embrace the world beyond it."

She does seem to get she's been looked at but she's used ot it however the party is showing to be quite interesting.

She watches the new arrival with interest and now she listens.

She listens at the bit about the request and nods.

"I see I'm curious might I ask just..."

Then the fireworks go off, this is not quite what she expected at all.

Tomoyo Daidouji has posed:
     A big smile crosses Tomoyo's face as she listens to Rott, looking around at the adoring masses. Everyone is so nice~! Coming from Tomoeda, she's used to pleasant people, but this is a whole other level. She overhears his explanation to Yulia about how this nation is founded on love and trust and smiles softly. "A utopia..." she murmurs softly.

     Ah, but Mary is talking to her! She smiles and nods her head. "I'm Tomoyo, yes! I'm happy you remember me~ This is Sakura Kinomoto, official mage of Tomoeda!" She places her hands o the Cardcaptor's shoulder and beams. But, when Mary mentions that she set this up to get some favours, she blinks and tilts her head. "What kind of favours? If it's something I think I can help with, I'll do my best~"

     Suddenly, the tremors shake the earth, and she eeps softly, looking around. Oh goodness, that is a big plush rabbit. When Rott whispers that they should bow, she blushes a little but stands, and gives a small, graceful bow to the crowd. And then there are lovely fireworks, lighting the heavens! Tomoyo looks up at them, a big smile on her face. This was definitely worth the trip!

Fujiwara no Mokou (709) has posed:
    That sure is a lot of talking. Mokou fidgets uncomfortably. She's not really... well, she's TRYING that social thing, and it's taken her dozens and dozens of years to really get out of her hole and establish links with more than one or two people. She'll get better at it! These sorts of situations just remind her how much of a recluse she'd been until recently. Ah... recently, from her perspective, anyway. It's been a long time, for normal people.

    Fireworks! And a GIANT RABBIT. This place is amazing. It's like she's home, and everytime you turn a corner something ridiculous is waiting. That actually helps her get more comfortable.

    "Sure, we can wait until the fireworks. I love fireworks anyway."

    Considering she's a walking firework launcher, not unexpected.

    "Say, aren't you worried if you open up too much people are gonna take advantage of that? I mean it looks like everyone you gathered up here is here for the party, but what would you have done if one of the warlord-types showed up? You took a pretty big risk making every outsider look like a hero, huh?"

Mary Isofon (697) has posed:
    "Yup. At least I'm honest about it." Likewise, while Mary's response to Yulia may seem to be tinged with a bit of irritation, if she's at all keen in reading the nuance behind vocal inflection she'll be able to tell that she's being every bit as matter-of-fact as she herself was. "... most of the people here don't, though. They're actually as nice as they act like they are. At least, in my experience. In fact, I'm probably the biggest jerk you'll find here. True story." A momentary pause before she adds, quickly, "Well. Biggest jerk on this side of the national dividing lines, anyway. Demecretian's Empire is filled to the -brim- with nasty people. That's kinda what my request is about, actually, but. Yeah. I'll wait." Albeit very impatiently -- no small number of sighs come from her as the fireworks persist, hinting that she has likely seen precisely this sort of demonstration many times before.

    K. Rott would look to Kotone, his ears perking back up at her words. "O-Oh! More than happy to embrace it, yes! Much more than! We love the new and the fresh in Cottonwood, so it's only natural that our people would welcome you with open arms!" His head tilts when it seems she has an inquiry for him, though, and he watches her patiently. "A-Ah, yes? You may ask whatever you like! Nevermind the fireworks -- I know they're loud, but I can still hear you!"

Rory White (673) has posed:
    "Ooooooooh!?" Such a strange King indeed. Rory's a bit weirded out by this development, but when the fireworks begin she claps... then executes a bow of her own. Being hailed as a heroine - particularly when she's never done anything - is... well... embarassing.

    But she smiles nevertheless, overwhelmed by all of the accoldate.

    But she quietly mumbles to Kotone, "I don't know how we got into this. Heroines?"

    Again she's glancing Mary's way. Questioningly. 'What is all of this?'

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
Kotone Yamakawa takes a moment to look to Mokou for a moment curious about her.

"That is a good point what if that had happened? I don't mean to rain on things."

At Mary's words that does get Kotone's notice. A world where people are half as nice as their dogs think they are. That does sounds like somerhing she'll have to see in pactice."

She listens to K. Rott for a moment grins.

"Still not being afraid of change is not a bad thing."

a bit twisted comming from Kotone but hey. She whispers back to Rory.

"You needed to get out and we got out!"

Mary Isofon (697) has posed:
    The fireworks would crack, their lighted remains falling steadily to Earth. The conclusion of the demonstration is quite a thing to be seen, many flowers exploding to life in unison, only for a final, light blue diamond shape to catch them all in what would appear to be a vase. They've spared no expense in putting together this performance for the newcomers, apparently! The Lord Cottonwood would stand at the end as well, clapping his massive, gloved hands and nodding his head in delight as his animated 'stache continues to bounce of its own accord. He would straighten his crown and clear his throat in a voice that would bring another round of silence. This would pave the way for the next stretch of his speech.

    "NOW that things have begun in earnest," A single hand would raise up, palm facing upward, "let us EAT! You shall find all manner of delicious delicacies upon the tables within range of the stage! Meanwhile, I will excuse myself to have a few words with our guests. When we reconvene, we shall invite the resident angels to regale us with their MAGIC SHOW!" At the words 'magic show', there's another rise in the noise level, but this time it's accompanied by an absolutely phenomenal groan from Mary. She would roll her eyes, stealthily noting to the group, "This is why I wanted to say what I had to say quickly. I'm gonna be whisked away for that dumb thing here in a few hours."

    Finally, Lord Cottonwood would rise, stomping over to the group. He engages in some small talk with Kale, which gives Mary an opening to continue her discourse with the others. She would take a breath, look to Tomoyo, and use her question as a starting point. "I'm gonna need someone to help me capture Demecretian's daughter, Veronica. She's the princess of The Rose Empire - yes, dumb name, I know already - and they're violent, bad, evil, that sort of thing. The tricky thing is, she's kinda the current de facto leader since her dad is ill, so she's constantly surrounded by her guards. But that's where you guys come in. We could either come up with a plan to get near her... or we could just brute force our way in, I don't really care. But this isn't something I could do with a bunch of bunny knights as my only help."

    She would look to Mokou. Outwardly, her expression wouldn't change at all, but inwardly she's actually /celebrating/ the fact that someone is finally questioning her. As a jerk, someone pointing out holes in your motives is almost validating. "So?" She stares at her for a pregnant moment. "Gotta take risks sometimes, right? And now that I've got you guys, I've theoretically got protection for them anyway. I gambled and I won. No need to stress the details." Totally unphased? Probably. Maybe. "'Sides, these guys are better at protecting themselves than you might think. Otherwise the Empire I keep mentioning would've just slaughtered them all ages ago. But the cool thing is, having a bad guy nation to serve as a contrast makes these guys even more hell-bent on being nice, so it doesn't really damage culture either. It's a pretty solid system."

    Rory, again, would get a look. "You got something to say? I dunno about you, but I don't have telepathy."

Sakura Kinomoto (172) has posed:
    Sakura stares up at the fireworks. "How... how did they do that? With the vase? Are those -magic- fireworks or something?" She pauses for a moment... then closes her eyes, reaching out with her senses. -Is- this world actually magical? She hadn't thought to check, and was so distracted by everything that she didn't notice a presence or lack of mana in the air...

    Regardless of what she finds, she opens one eye to peer at Mary, then opens the other. "You... want us to kidnap a princess? Um. Well that... should be doable, but... Should we really do that? I'm not too sure about destabilising the civilisations of a world that -just- entered the Multiverse."

Yulia Koslova (256) has posed:
     Yulia's brows knit just a bit under her bangs when Mary gets to the real reason for being invited. Aside from them all being heroes, being mistaken for heroes, or the like. "Why?" is her first question. "No offense, Ma'am, but having been kidnapped before for what someone else thought were really good reasons..." she gives a now uncomfortable shrug. "Is there some reason other than 'they're all evil'?"

Mary Isofon (697) has posed:
    Sakura would find that, yes, this world is magical! In fact, Mary has a bit of energy radiating from herself. It might feel a bit strange to her, but at the very least it has properties similar enough to mana that should make it work as it normally would. "Yeah, they were," Is all Mary has to say to that. She's much more invested in that second thing. "Well, okay. The princess is young. Her dad isn't. It would be hard to make the old man change his ways, but since she's still pretty new to the whole 'leadership' scene, I had a thought. If we could capture her and let her see how nice things are here, don't you think that would change her mind? Make her want to change her kingdom? It's an autocracy over there, so if she ended up seeing the light, they would -have- to listen to her."

    Looking to Yulia, she would continue. "I know, it sounds bad. Really, though, we would only keep her captive as long as it takes for her to turn over a new leaf. And if she doesn't, we could just let her go. Maybe a show of good faith would change the relationship between the kingdoms for the better." At the culmination of it all, though, she would shrug. "... still, it's just a request. I'm not gonna beg or hold you to anything. Just, you could really make a difference here. All these nice people," She would would look to the crowd, idly, "would never have to live in any kind of fear again. Or at least, there wouldn't be anything local to worry them. Then it really -would- be a utopia."

Rory White (673) has posed:
    "Simply stunned by the contrast. You're so different from the others here! Despite acting superior to most of them you're goal is to weaken their enemies... with how differeny you are I wondered just why you intend to go through with an offensive." Rory's question is simple and straightforward... and also startlingly innocent-toned!

    She's not unlike the residents here in some ways. Naive in her own fashion!

    She ends up frowning a little at Kotone though. "Why do I have to get out?"

Tomoyo Daidouji has posed:
     Tomoyo politely applauds at the grand finale of the firework show, managing to catch it on her camera! She smiles sympathetically at Mary when she mentions that she has to go help with the magic show. As the angel starts to lay out what she needs, Tomoyo slowly loads up her plate, mulling it over.

     One doesn't get to open a business at the tender age of 15 without having some degree of savvy and business sense. And what Mary is asking here is a crime, no matter where you are. Even if the victim is 'evil.' And all the evidence they have on that is her own word...

     "Mary, uh... the others have already said it really~ All we have is your word that this Princess is evil, and you already admitted to lying about things... but! A rebellion can be a good thing at times. So if you can provide some proof, I'll be happy to lend my skills~"

Mary Isofon (697) has posed:
    "Superior?" Mary would study Rory carefully a moment, the hand she had been balancing her chin on falling into her lap. "I didn't mean it that way. That's just how angels are, I guess -- a little lax, disassociated." As for why she wants to go through with an 'offensive'? She would let that question hang in the air a few moments, her eyes fixing on him completely and unerringly. "... like I said, it doesn't have to be an offensive. We could sneak in there and sneak out with her and we wouldn't even have to hurt anyone." After this, her gaze would shift to Tomoyo, still the same as ever.

    "You can ask the king and K. Rott, then. They have more ethos than anyone." And, conveniently, the conversation they were engaged in seems to have finally finished, so now might be a good time to get a second opinion.

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
The party seem to be well underway at this point and she's well still feeling a bit trippy but every world's differenr tight? Kotone seems to be enjoying things though form the look on her face. She will try some of the food at this point as she listens wait kidnap a head of state of a recently unified world wait what?! She is able to keep her self ahem quiet.

<We kinda have it don't we Rory. Lighten up but I think we should be a bit wary>

GEtting pulled into an unknown poltical situatiuon can be very dire after all. Looking into things might be very imporant.

"I think that would be wise."

Fujiwara no Mokou (709) has posed:
    "I don't know, do we really need an excuse to kidnap a princess?" Mokou asks, glancing towards the others who cast immediate doubt to the idea. Maybe it's her bias speaking but this seems like a great idea. Then again... Gensokyo. When you want something you fight for it, even if it's pointless. Want a borrow a book? Fight. Want to go shopping? Fight. Want to enjoy the show? DOUBLE FIGHT. And let's not even go into what happens if you want to investigate something. That's basically five to six fights because nobody ever knows the whole thing until the last person you ask.

    "Hey, fair enough, don't get on my case. I was just asking. Nothing wrong with gambling, especially when you win," she also answers, conceding the plan did end up working.

    Not for a lack of wanting, Mokou's still just uncomfortable enough she doesn't partake in much of anything except a bit of sake if they have any.

    "Say, what happens after you get the princess?"

Tomoyo Daidouji has posed:
     Tomoyo nods her head, nibbling away at her meal. Then, as casually as she can, she leans towards the king and beams sweetly. "Your majesty, I just wanted to thank you for all this! It's so much, we're not worthy of it~" She bows her head deeply, radiating sincerity.

     "Clearly, Cottonwood are paragons of hospitality, one would never want to go anywhere else." She's uh... laying it on a bit thick there. But finally, she cuts to the point. "But, even so, I can't help but wonder what other places in this world are like. Would you mind sharing~?"

Sakura Kinomoto (172) has posed:
    Sakura mmmhs a little bit, nodding absently to Mary... but, mostly, she's just eating, now. She'll leave this to Tomoyo. She's the smart one!

Mary Isofon (697) has posed:
    Mokou's initial remark gets Mary's first smile. In some ways, it makes her look more youthful and approachable, but in others it seems just as wrong as everything else. Regardless, though, she would fold her hands, resuming conversation with a... slightly? more genuine, earnest feel to her words. Maybe she was just tired before? Or annoyed? One would certainly hope, if they were being optimistic. "Oh, I'm not getting on your case. Just, don't wanna make it seem like I'm not looking out for the people here, you know? I'm an angel! It's my job to make sure that everyone stays safe and happy." Maaaybe that's it. Or maybe she's just kicking the artificial speech into high gear because she knows for sure she can't be honest with these people. Either way, it would come off fairly well.

    To that last thing Mokou says, she would ease her expression and say, "We try to help her understand why nicer is better. And if she won't change, then she just goes back. No questions asked."

Rory White (673) has posed:
    <Acting just on the testimony of one person who is indiscriminate of who comes to listen worries me.> Rory messages Kotone back. <I thought we'd be meeting officials to discuss the Multiverse, not kidnapping a princess. This got confusing and strange in no time at all.>

    Rory's expression becomes a forced smile of sorts. Awkward and anxious. She is not sure what to make of this angel at all or the location anymore...

Yulia Koslova (256) has posed:
    "This Princess Veronica might have thing or two to say about it," Yulia points out to Mokou. She'll help herself to a little something or another from one of the serving trays, which likely involves a lot of icing and sugary fluff, though she hasn't gotten to tasting it just yet. A small sigh. "Sorry, it's just..." What? That she's a lousy excuse for a hero? That she's good at piloting at giant robots but otherwise she's just a hack? She can't quite get that kind of confession out though, and really it's probably a bad idea to confess that in the middle of a party celebrating all of their heroism, isn't it? "...never mind."
    Then she takes a bite from the fluffy, sugary treat on her plate, and her eyes widen in pleasant surprise. "Mm. Wow, this is delicious!"
    She looks back in the direction of Mary. "Um. Just what -is- an angel here, anyway? If I'm not being too forward.

Fujiwara no Mokou (709) has posed:
    "Yeah but no one cares about what royalty has to say," Mokou answers Yulia, with a slight add-on of "No offense," for all concerned patterns. The white-haired tomboy in red and white grins, especially at Mary's answer. "Well if all you're really going to do is give her a stern talking to I can't see a reason to say no. And if those guys are edgy about your honesty they can always leave people here to monitor, right?" She assumes that's something they can do, anyway.

    "What she said, what's an angel here anyway? I can't keep track anymore with all the different mythologies." Having words change meanings per-world is something she'll have to get used to eventually.

Mary Isofon (697) has posed:
    "OH, hush." He would gingerly pat the girl on the shoulder, although his hand is almost too large to fit on it properly. "COTTONWOOD is a beautiful burg, it's true, but even the people who live here want to venture out on occasion. I could certainly not blame someone so worldly as yourself for wanting to get an impression of the landscapes here! But, hum. Let me think." His hand would move to stroke his beard, his gaze fixed on the sky. "TO the West, we have the glacial isles. That is a land with no ruler -- it is too cold there for people to form any manner of cohesive government. They live in scattered villages, usually living off of their fishing practices." Glancing to his right, he would add, "AND to the East is the Candy Forest. It's a massive, whimsical place filled to the brim with lollipop tress, and rivers of strawberry milk, and all manner of liquorice beasts. Alas, it's a bit too wild to be livable, so it has not been properly settled either."

    "THEN, to the South," He continues, "you have the Empire of the Rose. It's formally controlled by Demecretian Diaspades, a dark king who unified all the lands about him by conquering them. There is a harsh caste system there that hinges on ancestry -- if you are a pureblood Imperial, then you will typically be a member of the ruling classes. All the others, though..." He would shake his head in lamentation. "TSK, tsk. They're treated very poorly. I do not like to speak sourly of our neighbors, but life is awfully hard there, and terribly lacking in equity. I feel for the people. Unfortunately, even now that Demecretian's daughter, Veronica, has assumed power, it does not seem that she intends to alter this formula. Rather, she's instituted policies that are even more harsh. I've heard talk of things that I would not feel comfortable mentioning in such a happy place."

    Again he would sigh. "YOU must forgive this old man his babbling, but my heart aches for the lot of them. If only there were some way of changing things, but as it currently stands, I fear we are on the brink of war with their kind. But if it will give us the opportunity to help the impoverished, even in a limited capacity, I will strive to aid them." Kale would be behind him, now, clapping fervently. 'W-Well said, sir! Well said!'

    Well, at least they can corroborate Mary, but...

Tomoyo Daidouji has posed:
     Tomoyo listens patiently to the king as he talks of the surrounding lands, daintily nibbling at her sweet treats! While she's not recording the king as he talks, her camera is still running, as is the microphone, so she can go over his words later.

     When he's done, she inclines her head sweetly. "Thank you for explaining, Your Majesty~ I am a tailor by trade, you see. So I'm always on the lookout for places with strange materials to incorporate into my wares!" She giggles, and glances over to Mary... giving her a little wink and a nod.

     She also glances at Sakura and leans in, whispering to her. "What do you think Sakura? I understand if you're too busy to help out... but I think I will, however I can."

Mary Isofon (697) has posed:
    Mary would glance to Yulia and Mokou now, still smiling. "Oh, not at all! About being forward, I mean. It's sort of nice to be able to explain all this to someone who doesn't know anything. Angels in this world are servants of Order, the spirit who maintains balance in the world. Were that balance to fail, natural disasters might become more frequent, time might stop flowing properly, dead people may come back to life... basically, it just wouldn't be good. She makes sure that none of those things can happen by finding every contradiction to the world's natural laws that exist and getting rid of them for the good of everyone. Meanwhile, we angels inform people about Order's duties and try to help them as best we can." Finally, she would conclude, "That's what angels are in this world."

    Then K. Rott would interject, jovial as ever, to offer his two cents. "O-Oh, are you telling them about your duties, Miss Isofon? Yes! Angels are very noble, and the Quilt Monarchs live to serve them! In fact, only a monarch that has gone on a pilgrimage to the Whispering Bower, the proof of Order's connection to our world, is legally fit to rule." She would give him a sideways, inscrutable glance.

    Suddenly, she seems to have become a bit harder to read in general.

Sakura Kinomoto (172) has posed:
    Sakura sips at her drink - likely orange juice - as Tomoyo joins her again. "...Honestly, I think one of us is going to get yelled at at some point for this, but... if you're sure?" She offers her fist to Tomoyo. Fist-bump! "Then of course I'm in. We're a team, right?" She grins at her friend.

Yulia Koslova (256) has posed:
    "It's not like I asked to be..." Yulia mutters, but she stops herself there. Another forkful of that fluffy sweet treat is tucked in her mouth before she can put her foot in it instead. Indirect tact. Or something.
    She listens quietly as Lord Cottonwood explains more about the realms that surround his. That now makes two votes that things are terrible in the Rose Kingdom. Which is better than one. Buuuut...
    The wheat-blond haired woman glances back at Mary. She's not quite able to shake the feeling that they've just been asked to kickstart a war.
    Again, she listens - and snacks - while Mary explains who she is and what she does in turn. "...I see. That's good to know."

Tomoyo Daidouji has posed:
     Tomoyo giggles and taps her own fist against Sakura's. "A team~ Don't worry, I'll take the fall. I'm the business lady after all, I'm supposed to be manipulative~ Besides... I think people would believe that I tricked you over you tricking me." She smiles sweetly, not even trying to be insulting. Even years later, Sakura is kind of naive after all~

     Afterwards, she glances over at Mary. She likes to think that she's rather perceptive. A tailor needs to understand the hearts of her customers, after all. And it seems that Mary can't deal with being around people from her own world anymore. That's... quite sad. So she speaks up, addressing her.

     "Oh, Mary~? This party is so amazing that I feel bad for partaking~ Because you made it happen, you should come by my store sometime. I'll make you an outfit, on the house!" From somewhere, she produces a business card and offers it to the angel!

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
There'd been a lot to learn about learn about this place. She knew she'd have to do some digging before she could make a clal on if she should do this favour or not. She also had ot think about any possible blowback to her home world. Given what happened with Zwei's own world? This is something very keen in her mind at this.

"I would have to agree this has been a veyr warm welcome here."

Yes if Kotone were aware Mary was a raving socipath with a desire to break her world? It wouldn't go over very well.

<<That's why I think we got some home world to do on this. This isn't like falling into Kingsmouth where the undead are surging to eat everyone with a pluse.>>

"DO not worry It's all right you are our hosts after all. I'm just a mechanic and ... I guess Adventurer now."

Mary Isofon (697) has posed:
    Mary's gaze would linger on Tomoyo a moment. Unlike before, though, the offering of that business card - and, perhaps more meaningfully, what she said - would have a visible impact on her. Her smile would fade in favor a very mystified sort of look. "You..." Her voice is soft; far, far softer than it should be. "... you mean... dress up?" She blinks several times. "You would do that for me?" It almost looks like she's in a state of shock. That's... a pretty profound reaction for offering to make a dress for someone, sure, but it takes all kinds, right? When she realizes all this herself, though, her cheeks would flush and she would quickly hide the card under the cap of her nightgown. As the hat plops back down on to her head, one might swear they could have seen a fleck of light dispersing. Or, perhaps, a butterfly?

    ... no. No, the weird atmosphere is just playing tricks on you.

    "I'll... I'll think about it." Her voice regains some of its normal force with that statement, but her hand grasps her wrist. "... the clothing stores in this world usually don't make things that fit me, you know? So that might be nice."

Sakura Kinomoto (172) has posed:
    "Tomoyo will dress up -anyone-," Sakura says, with a bit of a giggle. "You have no idea. I think there are more clothes that fit -me- in her closet than clothes that fit -her-..."