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Asellus     Eventually, Ildon puts his foot down about getting a moving on, and Marisa and Rarity have to give up hounding Gozarus about the stuff he makes. The goblin... Orc? Green monster guy, whatever he is, shows faint signs of relief but maintains his rigid formality for as long as Ildon is present. Asellus is quite uncomfortable with the way whole servility thing so is just as glad to be on her way, though she is still as unhappy and uncertain about the new life she has been thrown into as all the rest of what's transpired so far.

    Nonetheless, the next item on their agenda will hopefully be a bit less uncomfortable. They return to Chateau Aiguille, going beyond the part of the castle they had seen during the party, and into a winding series of stairs linked by platforms within crystalline rose-strewn 'cages' (minus the bars). Along the way, there is the opportunity to ask questions, but for the most part, the journey is in silence, the emerald-haired Mystic just trying to get a move on so that Mystic Lord Orlouge does not find reason to be unhappy with his performance.

    Either way, the tree-like nature of the castle, as though it were a giant plant instead of a castle, is in evidence everywhere along the way, from the wooden interior when they were inside the central 'trunk', to the branch-like structures that the stairs seem to have simply been built upon when they exit outside to the purple mist shrouded skies that they now walk within.

    Eventually, they make it to a bridge off to the left, with moree glowing red rose-crystals woven around spiked arches spaced periodically along its length, as though to soften the threatening image.

    Asellus pauses to look up at them with a frown. The roses are beautiful, even if artificial, but the longer she looks at them the less she can see them as flowers and the more they appear to just be clever fakes. Trickery.

    "Come on." Ildon says as he's half-way across the bridge, and the one he's escorting is still lagging behind.

    "I'm coming!" Asellus calls back and hurries to catch up.
Rarity Well, it's not completely in silent.

"Who's rediculous idea was this staircase spiral?" Not when Rarity goes into full critic mode. "I mean, yes, sure, it is extravegant to look at. But the appearance only goes so far as the sight. This is an atrocious climb in a fanciful but pointless manner when a something with less spirals and more height between platforms would be timely and efficient while still giving an appearance of elegance."

Rarity pauses both in step and in critisizing to wiggle one of her back legs as if readjusting her hoofwear. "Not to mention it's uncomfortable in dress shoes." Then starts right back up again as she lifts her back hoof to inspect the shoe. "I -dread- what this must be like for someone wearing those rediculously high heeled shoes bipeds seem so facinated with."

The unicorn sighs in exasperation, but starts up again to not be left behind. "Or better yet, install an elevator. Mayhaps one of those elaborate glass walled ones, so you could still astound your guests with the view without working their legs off."

Pause.

"On the other hoof, this is going to do wonders for my cardio."
Marisa Kirisame MEANWHILE, WHERE IS MARISA!?

...Apparently, zooming energetically between the towers of the Chateau Aiguille, having taken flight part of the way back to the castle. Apparently she claimed that 'walking was for turboscrubs, horses, guys with cool hair and adorable green-hair princesses' and immediately took flight. She's a witch, after all, and witches can fly! That's just how they work! They have brooms, they go zoom.

She just so ~happens~ to have followed Asellus and the others to ~this particular tower.~ She grins and approaches the windows in the walls, pivoting to lounge languidly over her broom like some kind of especially witchy cat. "Yeah, it's pretty great to be able to skip the whole thing and just... Fly my way up, huh?"

"You know, there's some room on my sweet ride, if anyone wants to come for a flutter instead of spending all day..." She smiles a cheshire grin at the little white pony, "Hoofin' it."
Josuke Higashikata Josuke's sticking with Asellus, so when she pauses, so does he. He's been pretty quiet along the journey thus far, not because he's scared. The look on his face -- a thoughtful pout -- indicates that he's thinking. And probably observing. Just in case something hits the fan.

Rarity's words get a smirk. "I guess the appearance of it all is the important part, though," he reasons. "Power and appearance... all that." There's no judgemental tone to his words, though. They're quiet and thoughtful.

Marisa's (re?)appearance startles him though. "Whoa!" He looks up, then at Marisa. "Well... I could have had <Crazy Diamond> help me up there, but I wanted to stay near Miss Asellus. Just in case." Not to worry, Josuke's been a perfect gentleman! Ironic, considering he looks like a delinquent.
Asellus     "Filthy machines are not allowed in Facinaturu." Ildon scoffs at Rarity's suggstion. Oh, so this is one of THOSE places. Eschewing modern convenieces because... Why? Not magical enough? Tradition? Because they're the products of dirty humans and humans are lame? He doesn't elaborate except to dismiss the very notion of installing an elevator. "Facinaturu is an unchanging place. It has remained the same for hundreds of years, if not thousands. That's not going to suddenly change because a guest has IDEAS." Ildon appears either not to care or not have the patience to attemtp to wrangle Marisa and her disrespectful antics. Maybe she'll be eaten by a sphinx or something.

    Asellus smiles slightly for perhaps the first time since any of these people have seen her. "Thanks, Josuke. I appreciate the body guard. I should probably walk too, Marisa. Have to learn to act like a 'noble Mystic!' after all." She does not sound especially sincere about that but Ildon doesn't seem the type to nitpick her for sarcasm given his own prolific use of it.

    The room they enter into after crossing the bridge to the right-hand tower is enclosed, making further broom shenanigans unlikely to work out well by virtue of no windows. It is much like the one that Asellus had seen before, outside 'her room', though all in cyan and green hues. It's a rather ghastly and ghostly coloration. It merely adds to the disquieting contents of the room. Asellus is surprised not by the sight of coffins reflecting sea-green light, with glass lids arranged in an incomplete circle all around the edges of the room, coiled in white roses and thorny vines as if to bind them shut, but by the fact that there's so many more of them than she'd already seen.

    For those seeing them for the first time... Well, the reasons for any surprise are likely to be a bit more obvious. Like, 'why are all these coffins here and are those a bunch of girls in them'.

    "How many more of these are there? Between the ones in the other tower and these ones..." Asellus asks, alluding to the fact that, no, this is not the only tower full of coffins in this shitty castle.

    Ildon just looks at Asellus silently, as she traces her green eyes along the beautifully ornate tilework on the floor that assembles the image of a giant green rose. "Not much further now." is his non-answer answer. Maybe he doesn't know. Maybe he doesn't want to talk about it. Maybe there's just 'too many'.

    Either way, across the room, there's another set of stairs, just what Rarity loves, even if more normal ones (though probably quite steep for a pony), leading to an ominous darkened doorway with its doors already hanging open as if in invitation.

    That appears to be their destination.
Rarity Rarity just gives Marisa a flat expression in response to her joke. "Keep the broom handy. You're going to need it with jokes so old they gather dust." If there is one thing to get her going its the subtle snubbing of someone else's bad humor, even giving her petit muzzle an upward jaunt as she climbs the stairs without farther complaint.

"Just saying, there are such devices that run on magic instead." To the point that she'd rather resume conversing with Ildon. Abiet with a bit less snip in her tone, after the dour servant made it clear that this was part of their supposed culture rather than simply for needlessly elaborate appearances by a noble who is likely both very rich and very bored with 'common' things.

Not that this castle wasn't full of eccentricities anyways. Like, you know, open OCCUPIED coffins. Which is.. uh..

Actually Rarity just hikes her nose even farther up, eyes half-closed so she can still see were she's going without actually looking around as she trots quickly through the room to the opposite stairs. "Not even dignifying this room with commentary."
Marisa Kirisame "Oh?" Marisa's grin turns from mischevious to malicious as she deftly weaves through a window and back into the tower proper. "Well well. I'd be careful with that nose of yours. Turn it up any further and you might start hoofing cobwebs."

"I mean, you wouldn't be the first one," she sing-songs, whirling acrobatically through the narrow headroom with all the skill of a practiced veteran of Bullet Hell. "To fall prey to that old noblewoman's filly. Why, I remembmare this one time a certain vampiress almost ended up knocking her face into the ceil--"

That's.

A lot of coffins.

And a lot of girls inside those coffins.

"...Ildon," Marisa murmurs, malice rumbling in her voice, "What exactly are those girls doing in those coffins?"
Josuke Higashikata Josuke tilts his head at the dislike of machines, but he doesn't comment. Each to his own, after all. Besides that, he's about given up on changing anyone's mind with words around here. However, he does offer a smile to Asellus in response to her words. "Not a problem at all!" he says brightly. "I'm just glad to help."

The room with the coffins gets a shocked look, and that lighting doesn't help! "What the...?!" Yeah, sorry Ildon. Gonna have to deal with the fact that humans don't generally freeze-dry girls for eating later. At least, that's what Josuke thinks they're there for. These guys ARE basically vampires, right?

....Yeah, at that point Josuke's just going to follow Rarity's example and not say anything. Even as much as he wants to. Though fortunately Marisa gives him something else to concentrate on. Something PAINFUL, but at least it's something else to concentrate on. "Oh jeez," he mutters, even as a grin tries to make itself known. "Just. Seriously. '''Ouch'''!"
Asellus     Ildon heads into the next room, right after Asellus and Rarity, only answering, "They belong to our lord." Both vague AND cryptic. It's a question Asellus would like an answer to as well, but it doesn't seem as though it's forthcoming. Except, wait, no, maybe they're about to get answers in the very next room.

    The room they left was green and cyan, producing a sea-green coloration upon the glass lids keeping their contents imprisoned within. This one's roses are all shades of glowing blue. The room is also smaller, with only a single coffin in it, right in the center, with a heart-shaped window in the wall looking out upon the purple-mist sky of this Region. Unlike the other coffins, this one appears to be... Glowing. Some pink and white light shining from within. Seeming almost entranced, Asellus walks forward, approaching it and laying a hand on the transparent lid, as she looks down upon the 'sleeping' figure within. A bright line suddenly begins to shine with increasingly intensity, and she snaps out of her daze to quickly back up and away. Ildon takes a place just to her right, near the window.

    When the blinding light fades, there's a woman in a blue shoulderless dress, lined in roses around the neckline and the hem of the skirt, with a huge bonnet or cap made entirely of the same roses adorning a head of brown hair in exquisitely coiled cylinders and ringlets. She stands elegantly within her former 'resting place', and speaks. "Lady Asellus. How do you do?"

    "Who are you...?" Asellus asks, both in confusion and a bit awestruck by the gentle beauty of the one who stands before them.

    "She is the 46th princess, Princess White Rose." Ildon answers. Oh, so that's the story. All those girls are 'princesses'. Of Facinaturu? Of Orlouge? Of the Mystics? Whatever their role, they apparently aren't quite human, in the same manner as Ildon. Vampires then? Or... Whatever Mystics are?

    "I haven't seen you for a while." Ildon addresses White Rose. The cold and aloof personality he has projected until now seems almost slightly... Friendly with the princess.

    And the formality and elegance of White Rose fall away a little bit as well when she responds to the other Mystic casually, with, "Ildon. Long time no see. Seems like nothing's changed." It is that informality that awakens Asellus out of her reverie, one hand going to her chest as though to slow a heart that is beating too fast. Well, there were a LOT of stairs after all. That's definitely the reason.

    "Well, there's some other new people too. I guess they're my 'tutors' in matters of other Regions. Josuke, Marisa, and Rarity. They've been helping me get adjusted to... Everything." She pauses and adds on, "And keeping my spirits up." Because geez what a depressing place.
Rarity Hurrying through the 'coffin room' thankfully brings a much more present sight upon the unicorn's eyes, to the point that she actually sounds relieved. "Oh, finally, another room in this dreary castle that actually has some appropriate -class-." Even with a coffin in it, but by this point Rarity is pointedly ignoring it as much as she did the previous room. Just, nope, not going there, not asking, she probably would not like the answer anyways.

And a princess, to boot. Asellus already mentions them by name, so she response in kind with a low and graceful bow appropiate for a lady of sophistication. "A pleasure." Hopefully it will be, at least. Rarity is keeping it polite!
Marisa Kirisame Marisa's expression sours precipitously. 'They belong to our lord?' Well. She certainly never voted for this lord, or any lord for that matter. That's another thing to deal with. Another objective on the rapidly elongating docket. What kind of jerk does this jerk think he is!? A jumbo jerk!?

...

Well. At least Asellus seems to have found... Someone. So that's her type, huh...? Hmmmmm.
Josuke Higashikata Jeez, what is with these coffins any all these girls in them?! That they 'belong' to someone in specific doesn't really make Josuke feel any better. Just makes him want to go punch the guy who thinks they 'belong' to him! But here, discretion really IS the better part of valor, if only for Asellus's sake!

Though when Asellus approaches that one coffin in the next room, Josuke is instantly wary. If it's attracting her with light, it might be doing something to her mind. He does, however, hold himself back from intervening. When the woman appears in the light, he blinks, surprised. Though when she seems less... well, less like the sort that seem to populate this place, he relaxes.

He'll stay quiet until Asellus introduces them, and then bow when his name is said. "Hello, Miss," he says quietly. She doesn't really look like a 'ma'am'; besides, most women get upset when they're called that -- makes them feel old!
Asellus     Ildon nods to Asellus's assessment. "They were selected to provide information about their worlds to her, so she can deal appropriately with them as a Mystic and be on guard for danger. We're heading to the training room next so she can learn how to fight like a Mystic when danger comes for her." He then addresses the trio beyond Asellus, to explain. "Princess White Rose is the kindest Arch-princess in Facinaturu's history."

    That sounds nice! Nice people are nice! Maybe things are looking up!

    "What's an arch-princess?" Asellus just has to ask.

    White Rose smiles faintly and tilts her head at Asellus. "I'll tell you everything later. About mystics, myself, and Lord Orlouge. Let's go." She hops out of her coffin and bows her head to the Multiversal explorers. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. I look foward to working together."

    White Rose has joined the party.
Rarity Finally, a pleasant face -and- demeanor. Though she still doesn't entirely trust this place and it's lack of answers, Rarity at least feels a little more at ease with White Rose.

At least until combat training is brought up. "It is good to know how to protect yourself, yes." She might have to shift back to her harmony armor.
Marisa Kirisame The nicest arch-princess, huh?

That doesn't exactly explain things. Like what an arch-princess is. Or why they sleep in coffins. Something about being a vampire, maybe? "Yeah, sure. Name's Marisa Kirisame, Ordinary Magician and professional vampire mansion buster. Nice to meet you too."

"Sooooo, fighting, huh?" Marisa muses. "I guess a bit of exercise sounds like a good idea! I mean, it's been a while anyway. Might as well right?"

Clearly nothing could possibly go wrong.
Josuke Higashikata Well, that's a relief, anyway. White Rose being nice. Then again, from what Josuke's seen so far, 'nicest amongst the Mystics' is... not exactly the most ringing of endorsements. Still, she seems pretty nice. So he'll reserve judgement until he's seen for himself. He does however, nod to Ildon's words. "Stand-users can be pretty nefarious," he agrees. "And if '''I''' know how to leave my world, other Stand-users might." He also responds to White Rose's words to them. "It's good to meet you too," he replies with a bright smile.

Rarity's words of knowing how to defend oneself gets a nod too. "Particularly in the Multiverse. There's been so many things I'd never thought I'd see out there! But some of it's dangerous." Marisa's words of 'vampire mansion buster' gets a wince. Because uh. A lot of this is sounding a lot like the vampires in his world. Though granted, Josuke himself hasn't ever come in contact with one, but he's heard things!
Asellus     There seems to be little reaction to Marisa's proclamation of her title. Either 'vampire' doesn't mean anything here, or the Mystics don't feel threatened by that resume. "That sounds exciting!" White Rose says.

    "Great. Training." Not exactly Asellus's idea of a fun time, but she can't argue with what Rarity and Josuke say either. Being able to defend herself sounds a good idea. And maybe being able to defend others. She's already died once, supposedly, and she doesn't feel like chancing it again.

    The trip back down is uneventful, aside from a wrong turn when Asellus tries to lead the way foolishly, as though to show off how well she (obviously doesn't) know the way around, and runs into an area with large and dangerous-looking monsters wandering around it. After Ildon reminds her that she's not ready for real combat yet, and escorts everyone out of there, he resumes taking the lead and Asellus hangs back to chat with everyone else. "So what are your Regions like? If you're going to be teaching me about them, might as well start now, right?" They are heading back down all those stairs and platforms, likely much to Rarity's 'delight'. Seems the training ground is somewhere on the opposite side of the large room they had all the food in before.
Rarity Though this time Rarity keeps her objections to herself. Going down is a little less work than going up at least.

Besides, there's other conversations to be had when Asellus starts asking some questions to pass the time of the trip back down. "Equestria is a world that is, for the most part, peaceful." She makes a vague wave-off motion with a hoof. "Other than the occasions some ner-do-well or another tries to take over, destroy everything, or so forth. Our beloved queens rule with kindness and harmony." Her perfectly coifed mane wobbles a little as she shakes her head. "Sadly it is more an exception than an example of what most places in the Multiverse are to be... Though prehaps that was why I was asked here. Something to provide contrast.... context?" That second one sounds better.
Marisa Kirisame     "Just think of it like exercise! Just something to get your heart rate up. I'm sure you'll be fine!"

God though, all this wandering around is not playing well with Marisa's attention span. Really, what is with vampires and their weird houses? They're way too big. Waaaaay too big. How many people do you even have to keep in here? Most of them sleep in coffins, right? Can't they just stack them in a closet somewhere and... downsize a little?

Beat.

"Oh, Gensokyo?" Marisa shrugs gently, "Ahhh well you know. It's a little slice of wonderland. A real xanadu in the mountains. There's a little town full of country bumpkins right in the middle. Of course, it's surrounded by a wilderness full of monsters that would love nothing more than to eat them all up, commandeer their worship, and sometimes just hang out, knock back some booze and shoot the shit. For the first two things, there're people like me who punch them in the nose and keep the peace."

"Got a lot of monsters, though. They're pretty good people by and large, but sometimes you find a real nasty one get uppity. We haven't had anything too bad since the Shrine Maiden did her thing a while back though."
Josuke Higashikata As soon as Josuke sees the monsters, Crazy Diamond is already out and ready to go. Though thankfully Ildon escorts the group away from the monsters, so Josuke puts his Stand away again. He actually breathes a sigh of relief when they get out of the area unscathed! He doesn't seem all that violent or fighty, really. But at times he does. He's kind of weird.

As for his Region? "Well, uh..." He raises a hand to scratch at his cheek. "It's... pretty far away from here. And I guess... there's just humans there. Oh, right... the occasional vampire or zombie too. But some people have Stands. That's the... I guess you might call it a 'demon'... that follows me and appears when I need him."

He listens to the accounts of Equestria and Gensokyo. The latter he can't say anything about, since he's never been there. But the former he's been to, and he nods. "Going to Equestria really saved my bacon that one time! Some chaos god follower managed to corrupt my Stand, and when I tried to heal somebody, it infected them with chaos! Equestria has magic in it, and some of that magic got used to purify both me and the poor fellow I accidentally chaos'd. It's gone now though."
Asellus     "Two queens, huh? How... Progressive." Asellus remarks. Because from the looks of it, a lone king doesn't seem to be going well for this Region.

    "Are they spouses?" White Rose asks.

    Asellus sputters. She didn't mean THAT kind of progressive! "Th-they might also be sisters."

    "True, though that does not preclude them being wed."

    Asellus is quite red but can't really deny that logic. I mean... Royalty KIND OF HAS A HABIT OF INTERMARRYING.

    However, she is glad to move on to the next subject. "So a small piece of civilization surrounded by monsters. Sounds familiar." Unfortunately. Thankfully Shrike is pretty peaceful, but after visiting a place like Facinaturu she's realizing that there's a lot more places that aren't peaceful than are.

    "So peaceful except for monsters that show up and prey upon the defenseless. Great. A demon though? Is it safe?" she inquires about Josuke's Stand. She saw it before. Like, when Josuke fixed her clothing, and a little bit ago, but she didn't really understand it. Well, as long as he can control it...

    Eventually, they make it to the training grounds, with Asellus's thoughts full of worlds and lives completely different from the one she has lived so far. Of places beyond her home Region she has never even considered seeing.

    The training ground is up two sets of stairs off to the right of the large foyer, on a platform with a rose emblem on the ground. When Asellus steps into the middle of it, White Rose moves to stand on one side, and Ildon stands at the top of the stairs. He hands Asellus a knife, and then, when the half-mystic stands in the center of the rose, he says, "Begin."

    A monster appears before her, seemingly just conjured into existence by a wave of magical energy that crystallizes the shape of a bird with a pick-like skull.
Asellus     Combat begins.

    ============

    ||Pickbird||

    ============

    Asellus is quickly stabbed in the shoulder as she holds the knife clumsily, the bird diving down to peck her in the shoulder, drawing blood. She swings with her blade in response, dealing a small amount of damage, but it quickly pecks her again, right in the throat, sending her staggering to one knee. She weakly swipes a second time, once again wounding the Pickbird, but in short order, it has pecked her directly in the forehead and then...

    She falls. Dead.

    =====================

    ||Wiped o ut||

    =====================

    Until suddenly, she's standing where she started, and the monster is gone, and she is completely okay.

    And then Ildon says, "Next!!"

    This brutal scene plays out twice more before Ildon calls an end to the 'training', leaving Asellus looking very pale at dying repeatedly, but physically unharmed.
Rarity Rarity actually laughs softly at Asellus and White Rose's confusion over there being two queens, then nods. "Sisters, yes. Equestria is a rare diarchy, with two equal rulers." There's your new word to learn for the evening, thank you. "No, they are not intermarried. Just sisters." Not that two ladies being that close is a unfamiliar concept in Equestria. Just look at BonBon and Lyra.

But time to quiet down as the 'training' starts. Though Rarity can't help but hold a foreleg over her eyes as she sort of looks away, feeling sorry for the girl that clearly has no idea about actual fighting.
Marisa Kirisame Well.

Asellus has no idea how to fight. That's a thing. Damn, girl.

"You know," Marisa says from where she's ~floating effortlessly~ on her broom. "You might want to let her, like... Learn how to use a sword first. Or her fists. Or like. Anything??? Before throwing Actual Goddamn Monsters at her. Anyone have a gun she could use or something?"
Josuke Higashikata Josuke can't help but snicker at the flusteredness of Asellus at the suggestion that they might also be sisters and married. It's still a slightly uncomfortable subject, yes. And he can't help but think how he's sixteen and has a NEPHEW who's almost thirty. He pouts a bit -- his old man and that inability to keep his wandering eyes (or other things) to himself...

"Well, it's not exactly a demon," he explains. "Besides, most of the monsters that show up to prey on people are... well, other people. Or used to be people." A world where humans are the greatest of monsters? Maybe so.

Josuke's being polite here, and so he'll stand where he's directed to while Asellus does her training. ...If getting murdered counts as training! Truth be told, the only reason Josuke doesn't go running out into the arena when Asellus falls is that... she respawns too fast! Though he's tense all over at it happens again -- yeah, he's going to be sore tomorrow from staying so tense. He'd be covering his eyes like Rarity, but... train wreck. He can't look away.

Marisa's words get a quiet, choked sound. And he sighs, forcing some of the tension out of his shoulders. "I think... he's trying to teach her to defend herself, by showing her what will happen if she doesn't. It's pretty brutal but... that's how some people teach -- attack until the student learns how not to get hit..."
Marisa Kirisame "That's a pretty shitty way to teach," Marisa huffs softly. "Even master taught me a few basic spells before throwing me to the wolves. Literally." Beat. "Well, okay, I guess literal wolves are maybe worse than imaginary birds, but she probably wouldn't have let me get hurt too bad. Point still stands; all this is teaching her is... How to get hurt, I guess?"
Asellus     "She'll learn eventually if she's not hopeless. Learning the the fighting secrets of a mystic isn't supposed to come quickly. It takes some of us decades to master." Ildon answers. He allows Josuke to interpret it how he likes, but it might not be far off from the truth. At least there's no way she's actually going to die, no matter how many Pickbirds, Bandicoons, and Shellworms seem to make it happen. If Ildon went through the same thing though, and turned out as a Mystic warrior, then maybe his confidence in the method is based upon knowing it works. Even if it's sucky for the student. "That's enough for today though."

    "Yes. Lady Asellus has been through a lot already. Perhaps a rest is in order." White Rose suggests diplomatically. With that, it's time to go down the stairs and back out to the large entry way, where a man near the foot of the stairs, waiting for them.

    "Have you gotten used to the castle?" Yet another man with greenish hair says with a smile. Rastaban, wasn't it? From the 'party' that ended so abruptly.

    "How can anyone get used to a creepy place like this?" Asellus asks sourly.

    "That's great." Rastaban replies cheerfully.

    Ildon squints at Rastaban and asks suspiciously, "What's the matter with you, Rastaban?"

    "Facinaturu is eternal, unaffected by the passage of time. I've been waiting for someone to reset its clock." He grins broadly as his gaze switches to the half-mystic. "I believe it's you, Lady Asellus!"

    Ildon responds incredulously, "You think this human girl possesses that kind of power? You sure don't know how to judge mystics."

    Oh would you make up your mind as to whether she's a human or a mystic?

    Annoyed by being out of the loop, Asellus asks, "What are you two babbling about?"

    "You'll see." Rastaban responds cryptically. Then he turns to look at the Multiversal Elites accompanying them as says with a wild grin, "Many mystics are already afraid of Lady Asellus's growing power." Then he just takes off running out of the area.

    White Rose looks after him, and then turns to Asellus. "He's as intense as usual."

    Ildon glances off the way the other Mystic went. "Rastaban. He finally snapped."
Asellus     "That was Rastaban." White Rose says to Asellus, in case all the mentions of his name before now were not clue enough.

    "Is he the only one happy around here?"

    "Pardon?"

    "All the men in this castle are always frowning like they're constantly oppressed."

    White Rose looks thoughtful. "Yes, I never thought of it... But, you're right, he is a little different. There is another..."

    When Ildon speaks, it's to comment on Rastaban's method of egress. "He left on foot? He must really be trying to show you respect." Right, right. Because Mystics seem to have a habit of... Teleporting all over the place. Rastaban did it a bunch when he was first encountered. But not now. On top of everything Asellus has dealt with today, now she has this confusing nonsense to deal with. Honestly, she is trying to adjust to and take in so much information, and her recent experience with 'combat' didn't leave her in the best emotional state. White Rose puts a hand delicately on her shoulder though, and Asellus tries hard to look unaffected. "What about those other two towers? I saw them before. Do they also have a bunch of mystics sleeping in them? Are they all princesses?"

    White Rose tilts her head, looking to the others, and says, "Since training is done for the day, perhaps a brief tour before we part ways would be under advisement?"

    Great idea! ...Except that means going BACK UP STAIRS.

    Poor Rarity.
Rarity Rarity watchs Rastaban return, say some weird and ominous things in a decidedly different manner than every other male in the castle as pointed out, and take off again. Then puts a hoof to her forehead and muttering something to the effect of 'Why are they always so cryptic' but keeping it under her breath to not sound insulting.

Welp. MORE STAIRS. She's almost starting to understand why the Homestuck people HATE THEM SO MUCH.
Marisa Kirisame Marisa thinks for a moment. Then:

"Hey Illy," Marisa says, "How does magic work around here? Are they like, scrolls you learn from?"
Josuke Higashikata Josuke gives a grateful look to White Rose -- at least she seems to care what Asellus is going through, even if she has her own agenda. Though he jumps a little as Rastaban appears so suddenly. "Whoa!" Yeah, he's not sure what's going on anyway. Though... Rastaban's words get a frown. There's something more going on here... but currently Josuke doesn't know what it might be. Truth be told, he really hates not knowing what's going on. But he's hanging on through it nonetheless, for Asellus's sake. It's bad enough she got railroaded into this; he's not going to let her go it alone, if he doesn't have to.

Once the other guy runs off, Josuke shakes his head. "He does sound like he's... missing a few screws," he admits. The mention of a tour gets a bright smile. "That sounds like an idea -- does that include us too?" he asks. Because it might be secret business and they may not want outsiders poking about. He doesn't so much mind the stairs; there's a bunch of them in front of his school, and he climbs those almost every day, twice.

Marisa's asking about magic, and Josuke just listens here; he doesn't know anything about magic, and Stands are very much NOT magic.
Asellus     Ildon can't seem to think of a reason not to answer how magic works to Marisa, so says, "You go to someone who teaches magic, usually a store, that some may just be in isolated locations of their own. You pay a fee for each spell, and then they teach you the magic they have available. Usually, it's just the basic spells available for that school of magic. To learn higher level spells, you have to have the Gift for that magic. There's a magic store down in Rootville, actually, but only Mystics can have the Gift for Mystic spells."

    Hm. Maybe a way for Asellus to get some more fighting tools under her proverbial belt (skirt? shorts?) before trying that training again. Though she's pretty broke.

    White Rose smiles at Josuke. "Certainly. As Lady Asellus's tutors as well, you are valued companions and guests. It can't hurt to know the layout of the castle and some of our history."

    And so they go up the stairs. Or fly up them, as the case may be.

    The next tower they visit, on their guided tour, is at a slightly lower elevation than White Rose's was. It is much like White Rose's, though all in yellow, gold, and pink hues. It's very friendly and soothing lighting. For those who have experienced it, it is a bit like coming into a mall or department store and finding it transformed for Christmas for the first time. Or similarly waking up to some other festival decorations, brightly lit, cheerfully so. It's almost enough to make it easy to ignore the gold-hued glass coffins, coiled in pink roses like the other tower they've been to (towers in Asellus's case).

    Up the stairs to the purple-rose lit room beyond, another sleeping chamber for a dead girl in a yellow-glass coffin who might not be quite so dead as she looks in her magic slumber. "This is Princess Lion's room." White Rose says. "Princess Lion is my elder sister. She's also called the Golden Mane for her blonde hair. I've heard she's very open and energetic."

    Asellus squints at that. "You've 'heard'...?" Seems an odd way to talk about one's 'elder sister'. As though they've never even met.

    Ildon joins the tour guide routine by saying, "She was a renowned warrior even when she was a human. After becoming an arch-princess, she became even stronger than us."

    So becoming a Mystic stacks even greater power upon those who are already strong. Which is maybe why Asellus is so weak and flimsy.

    It's too bad she's Princess Lion and not Princess Wolf because this would be a great time for a bad pun about how starting off as a normal human is 'ruff'.
Rarity Wow... that's surprising simple for learning magic. Nothing like how many unicorns have to study and practice for much of their young life back home to learn things beyond what might be a natural talent. Even Rarity herself, who favored her natural telekinesis over complex spells, had to work for a very long time to hone it to her craftwork the way she has.

Though it does get her to rub her chin thoughtfully, then quickly picking up her own pace to stay with the group, though keeping closer to the less, ah, grumpy White Rose. "Do tell, dahlings, what manner of currency do these magic shops take?"

If paying for the spells is the only obstacle to getting some basic magics for Asellus to use...
Marisa Kirisame "Huuuuh, gifts of magic, you say. And it's not like you can just get... something. To use as a magical instrument, or something. Like a magic drum, or a marimba, maybe a pan flute? No?" Marisa rubs her chin, thinks for a moment, then nods. "Cool! I think I might drag Asellus down that way and pick up a few things. You know, in exchange for ~things and stuff!~"

"It'd be better than her trying to fight off monsters with just her fists, right?"
Josuke Higashikata Josuke had a feeling that's how things worked -- this 'gift for magic' business, thus why they're calling themselves 'mystics' instead of something else. And then he also starts to wonder... would Mister Joestar's abilities work against these guys? Are they undead? Vampires? Because they really seem like it!

However, White Rose's assurance that they're welcome gets a smile. "Thank you," he notes. "I'm not going to lie, I'm still a little concerned about Miss Asellus." That's an understatement! "So I appreciate being allowed to stick with her this long."

Enough stairs though, and even Josuke might resort to cheating -- Crazy Diamond usually floats a few inches off the ground, and it can lift him while still floating. Though that'll just be when standing, to rest his feet. He doesn't really have any method of propulsion when his Stand has lifted him. Except THROWING him, and that's hardly a proper method for getting around in a castle, even as big as this one. Even as much of a hoodlum as Josuke is, he knows better. But yeah, his 'demon' might show up a few more times.

But he does have a question. "...So... what happened to her?" he asks, of Princess Lion. Rastaban HAD said something about Asellus's power... what if they intend to do something horrible to her if she gets too powerful...?
Asellus     "Happened? She's sleeping here, until our lord has use for her. If she is called upon to battle, it usually means someone has made a huge mistake and needs to be hunted down." Great. So a princess attack dog. Maybe that canine pun wouldn't have been out of place after all.

    "Most stores take human money, Lady Rarity." White Rose responds.

    "Credits." Asellus answers, since it doesn't seem that White Rose knows the name of it. "We humans use Credits." So a lot like the rest of the Multiverse. Just one more reason for them not to be surprised by all these new 'Regions' being added.

    "If you wish to do that after our tour is done, certainly." White Rose agrees with Marisa. "Though I have no money on hand..."

    The next tower they visit, all the way on the other side of the castle, its 'left' side (west maybe? Hard to say with no sun), has its central room, also full of glass coffins, hued red and pink, giving it a bloody coloration. The room they enter into beyond is of purple and pink,, just like the the misty sky outside. Oddly, unlike White Rose's room, and Lion's room, there is a crystal pane over the window, that pulses rhythmically with nearly neon-hued magenta light.

    Also, unlike Lion's room, the glass coffin's lid lies on the floor, and the coffin itself appears to be empty.

    "This is Princess Rei's room." White Rose begins. "Princess Rei was Lord Orlouge's first princess. She was also the only one to ever escape from the castle."

    Before anything further can be said, Ildon separates from the group to stand in White Rose's view. "Princess White Rose," he begins cautioningly. "You're not supposed to talk about her..."

    Sorry, Ildon." White Rose steps back in with the group, preparing to leave once their business here is completed.

    Then, perhaps taking pity on Asellus, or perhaps for his own amusement, he decides to share a bit of information after all. "Wanna know something interesting? The night you were run over by the carriage, the Lord was hunting Princess Rei."

    Great.

    "Thanks for that." Asellus says blandly.

    But that's a line of inquiry she definitely wants to pursue later... Maybe without Ildon around.
Rarity That it's a standand currency just makes Rarity smile prehaps a bit mischeviously. "Oh, I do not think finding some funds to get Miss Asellus appropriately geared and learned will be difficult."

She's no philantrophic playboy billionaire, but she IS a successful businesswoman, and the Element of Generousity for good reason. If someone has to foot the bill of ensuring Asellus can handle herself...

She does just remain quiet at the comments about this Rei being the only one to escape, even if she narrows her eyes slightly towards the coffin even as Ildon objects to the subject being brought up.

We shall see about this being 'the only one'. In due time...
Marisa Kirisame Marisa learns a few things from this line of conversation. The first is that this place is /super cray/ and maybe they shouldn't be forcing people to sleep until they're necessary like some kind of weird-ass guided missile. The second is that magic here is super weird, and also extremely convenient?? And the last is...

Well. The last is that there has to be /some/ way to get out of this weird realm. Like, other than charging through the barrier that they saw on their way in.

Hopefully.

"Welllllllllllllllllll," Marisa drawls, "Whyyy did they let Rosie wake up and not Princess Lion? That seems kind of weird, doesn't it?"
Josuke Higashikata Josuke looks very much not-happy at the implications of the Princess Lion being 'asleep'. Is THAT what's going to happen to Asellus -- when thse people think she's learned enough they'll stick her in a coffin and make her sleep until they need her? That VERY MUCH does not sit well with Josuke! Seriously though, he's going to have teethmarks in his tongue for a while for all the biting his tongue he's done here...