Post by TwilightMyst on Oct 12, 2012 18:57:06 GMT -5
Yes, I finally got off my arse and decided to make a script. And not because I wanted to; because it was required for my animation class. Anyways, the boys were assigned to write something from a female's POV due to expanding our writing techniques, and the girls vice versa. So here it is. ;_;
---
Brainstorm;; When Claire wakes up, she finds herself in the middle of an alternate world with amnesia, knowing only of her name. She assumes it’s a dream, yet nonetheless decides to find out who she is, or at least, who she was.
Title;; Alternate Life
Characters;;
-Claire
-Kune [Also known as Akuma]
-Castiel
-Cheshire
-Keiichi Shiirigane[Older twin / Twin #1]
-Kiocchi Shiirigane[Younger twin / Twin #2]
-Elliot Airay
-Shiva Mitsukuni
-Maria
-Ren
-Other characters that I'm too lazy to list
Setting;; The sound of leaves rustling softly can be heard. Claire comes into view, and her eyes slowly flutter open. It’s mid-afternoon, the sky a brilliant blue with a few clouds here and there. Claire is lying under a tree, just out of reach of the shade it provided, atop a grassy hill. The tree bears striking crimson apples. As Claire finishes her observations, the audience is asked a rhetorical question, obviously being thought by Claire herself. Where am I?
Script;;
-:: Scene One: Under the Bloody Tree ::-
[Claire sits up and winces. She raises a hand to her head, only to look at it and notice a faint brush of blood. She assumes she had hit her head.]
???: Are you lost?
[Claire’s eyes widen. She looks up to see a cat, who swiftly jumps down to join her, with a wide and extremely eerie grin stretched across its face. She watches in astonishment as he glimmers, and shifts into an anthropomorphic form.]
Claire: [She gives him a blank stare.] ...
???: Oh, where are my manners? I’m known as Cheshire.
Claire: ...
Cheshire: Well? Who are you?
[Claire hesitates, contemplating a vague answer.]
Claire: I ... I don’t exactly know, but ... I think my name is Claire.
Cheshire: [He crosses his arms and studies Claire with a frown.] You don’t know who you are? That’s not a very fun answer; I’m bored already ... Claire, was it?
[Claire nods absently, suddenly interested in the grass beneath her feet. The blue dress she wears flutters as a soft breeze curls by.]
Cheshire: Then we should go find out who you are, right? [His question is sudden, which takes Claire by surprise. Said girl tilts her head, confused.]
Claire: ... I guess so, but how? I don’t know where we are, yet I suppose you do ... but where would we even start? This world is completely different from what I remember.
Cheshire: [His gaze lights up.] From what you remember? What exactly was it that you remember, from your world?
Claire: [She crosses her arms as Cheshire takes a few steps forward, grinning eagerly.] Well, for one, in my world it was considered creepy if someone walked around with real cat ears and tail. Especially with the getup you’re wearing ... the way you acted would make them think you were just some mad cosplayer ...
Cheshire: [He laughs quietly.] We’re all mad here. Get used to it.
Claire: [She pushes Cheshire away when he begins to play with her hair.] Whatever. Let’s just go ... find my memories.
Cheshire: [He nods in agreement, his grin softening into a genuine smile, then takes Claire’s hand and leads her away from the tree, as well as the scarlet staining the lime-green grass.]
[End of Scene One.]
---
-:: Scene Two: Enter the Abyss ::-
[Claire looks around in wonder as they enter a tall oak tree, getting a cold feeling as she passes into an abnormally large room. All she could see, when she looks back at the hole they step into, is an inky blackness.]
Cheshire: [He spins around with his eerie grin again, hands on his hips. His tail sways behind him.] Welcome to the Nyx! Make yourself at home; just ignore the floating items.
Claire: [She blinks in confusion, then squeaks as two things collide against each side of her. She looks around to see that it’s a pair of twins, looking excited and jovial at her arrival.]
Twin #1: [He frowns now, a mock hurt lighting his expression.] Hey, boss ...
Twin #2: [He picks up his brother’s expression, looking like a mirror image of him now.] ... why didn’t you tell us ...
Both: [Both twins complete their sentence in total unison.] ... that you were bringing home a toy?
Claire: [Her thoughts are clouded with confusion.] Toy?
Cheshire: Now, now, boys, this is Claire. Treat her nicely if you don’t want your salary lowered.
[The twins look appalled at this information. They each plaster on a smile and nod once, then rest their arms on Claire’s shoulders.]
Twin #1: [He pats Claire’s head.] Fine. I’m Keiichi, and that over there is my younger brother, Kiocchi.
Kiocchi: But you can just call us Kio ...
Keiichi: ... and Kei.
Claire: [She crosses her arms and frowns at Cheshire.] How will this help me regain my memories? All I see are a pair of idiots and a psychotic cat.
Both: [The twins hook their arms around Claire’s.] Let’s not be rash, princess. You’re going to hurt our feelings.
Cheshire: [His jaws part in surprise.] P-psychotic?
Claire: [She immediately notices her mistake and tries to cover it up.] Nn ... Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I just --
Both: [The twins rest their heads against Claire’s, making her shiver with guilty pleasure.] We forgive you, Claire.
Claire: [She slips out of the twins’ grip and sidles away to stand alone in her own space.] T-that’s good then ...
Cheshire: [He waves airily to show that he hadn’t been offended, but then brings his hand to his chest, over his heart.] That was the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me ...
[Claire rolls her eyes and looks around. Suddenly, the ground begins to move. The twins and Cheshire duck for safety, while Claire falls to the ground on her hands and knees.]
Cheshire & Twins: [They shout in unison.] Claire!
???: Ah, what’s this? A fugitive?
[The ground stops shaking now. All eyes turn to the entrance. Two men stand there: a bored man with red hair, who hangs behind the one with an amused expression, who has dark brown hair.]
Cheshire: [His voice is curt.] Hello, Kune. Castiel.
[Castiel averts his gaze and says nothing. Kune claps his hands.]
Kune: Good, we’re all here~~! Let’s talk, Cheshi-dear.
[The two men move forward. Kune prances over to Cheshire and drags him to the next room. Wordlessly, Castiel drops against the wall next to Claire and sits silently.]
Claire: ... Hi.
Castiel: .....
[In the next room, Kune begins to question Cheshire. His attitude shifts and becomes more serious. Severity enters the man's tone.]
Kune: [He leans forward, eyes narrowed.] You know the penalty for sneaking in a fugitive. Especially one like her.
Cheshire: [The neko crosses his arms.] Correct. But that doesn’t mean I have to suck up to the Courts.
Kune: [He sinks back into his chair now, barely visible in the dim lighting, and says nothing.]
[Both men are silent, until Kune laughs quietly.]
Kune: Still stubborn, I see.
Cheshire: [He flashes a sweet, yet eerily wide grin.] Of course.
Kune: [He reaches out, leaning forward, and begins to tug at the bandages covering Cheshire’s eyes. They start to fall away after a few moments.] Just because you don’t serve us completely ...
[The bandage falls, ringing loosely around the base of Cheshire’s neck.]
Kune: ... does not mean you may lie to us.
[Cheshire opens his eyes slightly. They stand out in the darkness immediately, glowing an eerie purple color. It reveals that he has strange symbols covering where his pupils and irises would be. The symbols are a dim white-silver against the brilliant magenta.]
[End of Scene Two.]
---
-:: Scene Three: Reserved Secrets ::-
[Kune opens the door and skips from the room, churring and skipping happily. Cheshire follows more slowly, the bandages back in place over his eyes.]
Kune: That was fun~~! Maybe we should stay a while, hmm, Cast-kun?
Castiel: [He looks away and sighs.]
[Cheshire sinks into a red plush chair beside the door he and Kune had emerged from. The twins sidle over to their boss and stations themselves on either side of him, blank-faced. Kune wanders over to Claire.]
Kune: [He extends a gloved hand to Claire, smiling sweetly.] Care to join us for tea, Claire?
Claire: [She blinks, slightly surprised.] How do you know my name?
Kune: [Laughing, he withdraws his hand momentarily. When Claire takes it, he pulls her gently to her feet.] I know the names of everyone who enters and exits this land.
Claire: Oh.
[Castiel gets up and pulls down a few floating items. Table and chairs, Claire notices. Kune skips over and produces some china and a teapot with a short flourish from his coat.]
Kune: [Patting a chair, the fellow motions to Claire.] Come, come! The tea is almost ready.
[Claire hesitantly goes over and sits in the indicated chair. Cheshire and the twins follow silently, sitting in the chairs across from Kune and Castiel.]
Kune: [He claps his hands.] Good, everyone is here! Castiel, could you set out the scones?
[Castiel complies. They all enjoyed their little tea party until, an hour or so later, Kune suddenly stood.]
Kune: We must be off! The red queen will not appreciate it if we are late for the executions.
Claire: [She tilts her head.] Executions ... ?
Castiel: [He gives a slight nod.] Every week she holds an event to distract everyone from the executions, when the guilty are tried and eventually killed. Today will mark the beginning of the setup for the event, this time a large party, which airs in a few days.
[Everyone but Kune stares at Castiel. Apparently nobody has heard him talk as much as he has now.]
Claire: [Recovering quickly, she tugs at Castiel’s sleeve.] What kind of party?
Kune: [He prances over upon seeing Castiel’s short grimace.] Any kind of party~! Nothing too formal, but enough to require some kind of frilly dress or suit.
Claire: [She wears a look of disgust.] Oh. I don’t really like those things ...
Keiichi & Kiocchi: [They sidle over to Claire, with Cheshire following warily.] Don’t feel down! You’ll look nice, we promise.
Claire: [Looking over at Cheshire, she couldn’t help but notice his glum attitude.] What’s wrong, Cheshire?
Cheshire: [He waves airily and collapses in his chair again.] Nothing. Everything’s fine.
Claire: If you’re sure ...
Cheshire: I’m fine. Just leave me be.
[Cheshire gets up, despite having just sat down again, and walks away, disappearing into another room. The door immediately disappears. Kune smiles without humor.]
Kune: We really must be off now.
Claire: [She turns to face Kune with a frown.] Alright ... well, I guess I’ll accompany you. Just outside, though. I want to explore a bit.
Keiichi & Kiocchi: [They give Claire a mixed look of surprise and hope.] What? Can we come?
Castiel: [He gives them a look that stops and silence them.] No.
Kune: [He claps his hands happily.] Of course, of course! But you can’t come to the castle until we’re done with the preparations, I’m afraid.
Claire: It’s fine.
[The three walk outside, and safely make it to the edge of the forest. Claire bows slightly to the two, then straightens with a small smile.]
Claire: Thanks. I guess I’ll be off, then.
Castiel: [He glances up at Claire, taking his eyes off the ground.] Be careful.
Claire: [Her cheeks alight with a soft pink color. It’s the first time anyone’s ever shown concern like that towards her.] I-I will.
[Claire waves goodbye. Kune is frantically waving his farewells with a wide smile. For a long time, Claire walks in a series of random directions, until she winds up lost in the middle of a rose garden.]
Claire: Is this ... a maze?
???: Who are you?
[Claire jumps slightly at the whimsical, childlike voice sounding behind her. She quickly turns to face whoever it was.]
???: Please answer me.
[Claire studies the child before answering. It was female, with long and slightly wavy silver hair. Her large eyes were a pretty aquamarine, and her features were that of beauty, yet they held trace of maturity.]
Claire: [She stammers intelligently, trying to find the correct words.] I ... uh ... I’m Claire. I was walking around, and I think I got lost in this maze.
???: [Her quiet, whimsical tone is lined with curiosity and wonder.] I see. Come in, before someone notices you.
[The girl gestures towards the cottage behind her, then disappears into it. Claire quickly follows, and the door closes softly behind her, not even uttering a squeak.]
Claire: [She sinks into an open chair, slightly dazed.] Might I ask ... --
???: What my name is?
Claire: [She blinks, surprised.] Y-yes.
???: [The girl sits in a plush chair besides her small fireplace and crosses her legs, leaning back to study Claire.] My name is Shiva Mitsukuni. I reside here in the rose garden, painting those who sprout white and tending to whoever needs it.
[Claire is silent for a long moment.]
Shiva: You want to know who you are, and why you are here. Am I correct?
Claire: [She shivers at the child’s vast knowledge.] Yes. But most importantly, I want to know when I will ... wake up.
Shiva: [She regards Claire with a strange look.] Wake up?
Claire: This is a dream, right? So I want to wake up as soon as I can. If I have family elsewhere ... they might miss me.
Shiva: [She nods thoughtfully.] Then you should make your time here into a good memory. I think you’ll be able to keep a very vivid one of here until you depart the living.
[Claire shivers, realizing the meaning of her words. Departure. Death.]
Shiva: [She glances up at nothing in particular with a slight frown.] It is time for you to go. Some expect to meet you in the village.
[With a start, Claire realizes this is a dismissal. Before she could get up to leave, however, she is struck by a wave of exhaustion and falls to the ground, completely oblivious.]
???: The game of reserved secrets has begun ...
[End of Scene Three.]
---
-:: Scene Four: Balance of Symmetry ::-
The game of reserved secrets has begun ...
[Claire awakens with a start, heart thudding wildly against her chest. Words resounded through her mind. She sits up and huffs.]
Claire: Secrets? No ... it was just a dream.
???: Hey, are you alright?
[Claire blinks and looks up to see a tall male looking down at her with bored concern. She notices how his clothes were ... perfect.]
???: [He growls impatiently.] Well?
Claire: I-I’m fine. Anyway, what’s up with you? You look like you just saw your worst enemy.
???: I don’t have time to play with people like you. I only asked if you were alright. Forget it now, I see that you’re fine.
[The man walks away haughtily, glancing back to shoot a venomous glare in Claire’s direction. She cringes.]
???: Hey look, it’s Claire!
[Claire looks over to see Keiichi and Kiocchi hurrying towards her, with big smiles and weapons aloft.]
Both: You okay?
Claire: [She grimaces and gets up, brushing her sleeves.] Yeah. There was a weird guy here just now, though, and --
[A sudden blare of horns and fanfare cut off Claire’s speech. A red parade came into view.]
Claire: Huh? I thought they were doing the executions right now.
Keiichi: [He gives Claire a look of disbelief.] Did you pass out or something? The executions ended yesterday, a few hours after you and those two clowns left.
Kiocchi: No time; move it! [He pushes the two into an alley and directs them towards the rose garden.] Hurry!
[The trio make their way back to the maze of roses. Eventually, however, Claire finds herself lost within the branches.]
Claire: [She looks around, with a slightly frightened expression.] K-keiichi? Kiocchi?
[She wanders around for a few moments, until there is an opening in the thorns. Claire attempts to brush past it, and ends up on the floor. Looking up, she realizes she had collided into Castiel.]
Claire: C-castiel?
Castiel: [He merely blinks, regarding Claire with a slightly confused expression.] Oh, it’s you. I thought you’d have been with Elliot by now.
Claire: Elliot? Who’s that?
[Castiel sighs quietly and says nothing. Instead, he gets up, then pulls Claire up to her feet gently, with a be-more-careful look.]
Claire: [She crosses her arms.] Have you seen Kiocchi or Keiichi? I was separated from them.
Castiel: [He threw a questioning look at Claire.] Where exactly were you?
Claire: Well ... I was harassed by this royal-looking, asshole of a perfectionist in the village not too long ago. Then the twins found me, and the queen and her cronies started up a parade through the streets, so then we had to ...
[Claire rambled on for a few moments, until Castiel sighed and ran his fingers through his crimson hair.]
Castiel: That perfectionist was most likely Elliot. He has an OCD pertaining to symmetry.
Claire: [She frowned.] That explains why his clothes and stuff were all straight and clean.
[Castiel nodded and looked around. Claire fell silent.]
Castiel: You’ll never find the twins like this. Follow me.
Claire: [She puffed out her cheeks momentarily.] I don’t like him. Elliot.
Castiel: [He laughed quietly. A warm sound.] He’s usually not so hot-headed. Maybe he’s just not too fond on the idea of another foreigner here. After all, the last one had brought down the entire kingdom during their stay.
Claire: Oh. Well, I still don’t like him. He’s a cold, selfish, self-centered ba --
Castiel: [He chuckled again.] Language. There could be children reading this script.*
[Claire went ‘hmph’ and didn’t say another word until they reached the estate of Elliot. Again, Claire couldn’t help but notice how perfect everything was.]
???: Hi, Castiel!
[A figure emerges from the front doorway with a full grin on his face. He descends the steps quickly to greet his friend, but when he notices Claire, his expression turns sour.]
???: Oh. It’s you.
Castiel: [He frowns.] Claire, this is Elliot. Elliot, Claire.
Elliot: [He still wears the venomous glare, directed at said female, who returns the look.]
Castiel: Why don’t we go inside? [He states quickly, then ushers them both into the estate. Elliot reluctantly agrees with a sigh.]
Elliot: Alright. But first, let’s go to the back. I have to show you something.
[End Scene Four.]
{*Alternate this to ‘watching this anime/film’ if animated.}
---
-:: Scene Five: Perfection and Progression ::-
[Elliot leads the two through the house and into the backyard garden, seemingly drab compared to the luxury of the rose garden, even with it’s hyacinths and lilies. Claire begins to question Elliot, still standing beside a silent Castiel.]
Claire: So, Eli, what is it you wanted to show us? Do you have a giant marble statue? Or a hoard of gems?
Elliot: [He crossed his arms and looked away, looking extremely irritated and annoyed.] No. And don’t call me that!
[Castiel sighs and sits, cross-legged, next to the small pond filled with water lilies.]
Elliot: And be careful! I arranged those perfectly today.
Castiel: Shut it and get to the point. We don’t have all day.
Elliot: [He sighs and let his arms drop.] Alright. Well, today I learned a few things. The ink creatures have come back, and I think they’ve sided with the queen this time. Especially after we already ... ah ... got rid of them, last time around.
Castiel: [He glares sharply in Elliot’s direction.] What?
Elliot: [He nods solemnly.] They’ve returned. But I think we have a formidable weapon and spy to use against them, this time. None of our battles will go like last time, where nearly half of our kingdom fell to ... our former fugitive’s motives, at the end of the war.
[Claire stands there, silently, with wide eyes.]
Claire: [She begins to think.] I-Ink creatures? War? What kind of place is this?
Castiel: [He turns to face Claire, face expressionless.] That means Claire will have to stay here.
Elliot: [He looks shocked.] WHAT? No way! I’m not housing an asymmetrical woman, even if my life depends on it.
[Claire promptly chooses to ignore Elliot's exclamation.]
Castiel: [He laughs quietly now, getting to his feet.] That’s too bad. Find your way around the hate, or your life really will depend on it. [He reached behind a hedge and dragged two squirming figures out from behind it.]
[Claire recognizes the two as Keiichi and Kiocchi. Immediately, she becomes wary. Had they been there the whole time, listening to the conversation?]
Keiichi: [He yelps in surprise.] H-hey! Let ...
Kiocchi: [Mirroring his brother now, the younger twin begins to fidget more, twisting in Castiel’s grip.] ... us ...
Both: Go!
[Castiel releases his grip on the boys, letting them drop to the ground. He frowns disapprovingly.]
Claire: Kio? Kei? What are you doing here?
Both: [They stare glumly at the ground, ashamed.] We followed you.
Claire: [She sighs and pressed a hand to her temple, not knowing what to say. She hardly glanced as Castiel silently left the backyard, probably returning to the parade.]
Elliot: [He ignored the twins’ presence, and turned to Claire.] Claire ...
Claire: [She directed her attention to Elliot, blinking questioningly.]
Elliot: [He walked forward and tugged at her sleeve.] You should change your clothes. They aren’t symmetrical. It ... bothers me.
Claire: [She stares at Elliot in disbelief.] The whole time ... you pretended to hate me? It was all because of my clothes?
[Elliot simply nods, and gestures to the twins. They immediately snap back to their normal attitudes and begin to push Claire into the house. Servants stare at her as she passes, being dragged along.]
Elliot: [He follows thoughtfully.] I’ll have them set up a room for you. Then you can change into something appropriate.
[Claire rolls her eyes, exasperated. The twins disappear into a large room and begin to pick out a suitable outfit, then lay it out on the bed. After a few moments, Elliot draws his knife and points it at them.]
Elliot: Good job, boys. Now leave. I’d hate to see this room’s symmetry disrupted because of your selfish attitudes.
[The twins laugh merrily and hug Claire before skipping out, ducking out of striking range. Elliot leaves as well, leaving a dazed Claire alone in the big room. Immediately, she changes, tossing her dress onto the bed. She was now dressed in a simple, forest-green turtleneck and dark gray sweats.]
Claire: [She picked at her clothes, feeling uncomfortable.] ... isn’t it summer?
Elliot: [He materializes by the door, leaning against the frame casually.] Look out your window.
Claire: [She yelps and glares at Elliot, moving to look out the window.] Ever heard of knocking?
[Instead of waiting for an answer, she turned to do as Elliot said, only to meet a beautiful , silvery-white sight, all traces of former anger forgotten.]
Claire: [Her voice drops to a whisper.] N-no way ...
Elliot: [He smiles lightly and offers Claire his arm, standing upright now.] Would you like to accompany me back to the garden, then?
Claire: [Awestruck, she wanders over to Elliot and accepts his invitation.] Snow ...
[They descend another set of stairs and, retracing their steps, enter the garden once more. Only now, it’s covered in a thin layer of powder-white snow. Even the pond is lightly iced over. Claire can only stare, mouth curving into a happy gape, Elliot smiling idly at her side.]
Claire: [She closes her mouth and sighs quietly, keeping her smile.] I’ve never seen snow before.
Elliot: [He looks down at her, surprise alighting his features.] Never?
Claire: [She shakes her head.] Never.
Elliot: [He thinks for a moment, before remembering the event being held in the Courts, and promptly changes the subject.] Oh, hey, I just remembered that the ball is tomorrow. Would you want to go?
Claire: [She frowns slightly.] I won’t have to wear anything too over-the-top, will I?
Elliot: [It’s his turn to shake his head now.] Nah, I doubt it. We could fit you into something light, yet formal. Trust me, it’ll be fun just to pick out what to wear. And the queen’s parties ... oh, they’re extremely strict about schedule, but I guarantee you’ll have a great time~~!
Claire: [She giggles, extracting herself from Elliot’s grip.] You sound like Kune.
[Making a sarcastic face, Elliot gently took Claire’s hand again and led her back inside. They paused in the foyer, where a servant waited, looking shaken.]
Elliot: [He blinks in surprise.] Maria? What’s wrong?
[The servant girl, Maria, looks ready to burst into tears. Instead of answering, she draws in a couple shaky breaths, before eventually finding her voice.]
Maria: M-master Elliot, t-they’re back ...
[Elliot was getting frustrated now. Claire could easily see that he had somewhat of a short temper, and little patience.]
Elliot: What’s back? Maria, good lord, just tell me what’s wrong.
Maria: [As Claire had predicted earlier, she promptly begins to wail, letting her knees give out. Soon enough, she was on the ground.] The ink creatures! They killed mistress Ren ...
Elliot: [His expression switches from irritated to a look of utter shock.] Ren ... [He echoes with disbelief.]
[Claire could see plainly that Ren must have been another servant. An important one, at that. She decides not to say anything.]
Elliot: [As if on cue, he turns to glance at Claire.] Come on. We’re going to get to the bottom of this. [Looking back at the shaken servant, he barks a gentle order.] Maria, kindly take us to where Ren has fallen.
[Maria complies after a few seconds, still attempting to regain the breath she lost while crying her poor heart out. Much to Claire’s surprise, a grim-looking Elliot bends to scoop said female into his arms, making a faint pink brush across Claire’s cheeks self-consciously. In a matter of minutes, Maria had collapsed on the wall beside a large, wood ordinate double-door. Black material was hanging from the handle-knobs, and from some of the designs. Claire squeaks with horror when she sees the gruesome sight sprawled across the now-crimson bedsheets, after Elliot had pushed one of the big doors open. Seeing this makes Claire begin to feel light-headed. The stench of blood and death was too much.]
Elliot: [He curses quietly, eyes straying to the ink-like creatures, whose attention was now drawn to the newcomers.] Claire, get behind me.
[He sets Claire down slowly, who immediately complies. Then Elliot whips out his weapon, now a black gun. Two things happen at once. The creatures leap at Elliot as soon as he conjures the weapon, and said male immediately fires fifteen shots, blowing the creatures flat against the walls. They don’t move again. Instead, they dissolve, leaving behind only a smudge of lifeless black ink.]
Claire: Nn ... [She takes one last look at the twisted, broken, bloody body on the bed. Maria must have screamed once she had seen this. After a few moments, she hears Elliot murmur something.]
Elliot: Oh, Ren ... my poor sister ...
[That was the last thing Claire heard before the world tilted on its axis, and sent her into a spiraling oblivion.]
[End of Scene Five.]
---
-:: Scene Six: Of Text And Language ::-
[Claire moans quietly, feeling like she’d been hit over the head with a brick. She stirs restlessly, and opens her eyes a fraction, wondering why everything seemed so soft. Kune, Castiel, Cheshire, Keiichi and Kiocchi, even Shiva ... all those Claire had met, plus some servants, were gathered around where Claire lay. She bolted upright, frightened, only to wince and moan again. Her head hurt intensively.]
Castiel: [He frowned disapprovingly.] You’re hurt.
Claire: [She growls sarcastically.] No Crap, Sherlock.
Cheshire: [He grins now, tail waving like a banner.] Then stop moving, princess. You’ll only put yourself in a worse state than you’re in now.
Claire: [She blinks, surprised that Cheshire was back to normal now, but she turns her attention to her absent friends.] Hey, where’s Elliot? And Maria?
Kune: [He claps his hands together with a big smile, eyes closed.] Ellie-kun is picking out a dress for you. Last I heard, he was complaining about symmetry.
Castiel: Maria’s recovering in her room. [He puts in quietly.]
Claire: [She blinks again, then feels a weight on her lap. She looks down to see a few books, a quill, and parchment. The book has strange rune-like inscriptions on it.] Oh. What’s this?
Kune: [Again, he claps.] We’re going to teach you Anglo-Saxon, otherwise known as Moon Runes, for the big bang today! All citizens need to know it. It’s our written language here, and everyone has to at least know how to write their names in Runes. Then you have to get changed, and we’ll go to the party. It was moved up to today. Hooray~~!
Claire: [She groans and lets her head fall into her hands.] Great ...
---
Brainstorm;; When Claire wakes up, she finds herself in the middle of an alternate world with amnesia, knowing only of her name. She assumes it’s a dream, yet nonetheless decides to find out who she is, or at least, who she was.
Title;; Alternate Life
Characters;;
-Claire
-Kune [Also known as Akuma]
-Castiel
-Cheshire
-Keiichi Shiirigane[Older twin / Twin #1]
-Kiocchi Shiirigane[Younger twin / Twin #2]
-Elliot Airay
-Shiva Mitsukuni
-Maria
-Ren
-Other characters that I'm too lazy to list
Setting;; The sound of leaves rustling softly can be heard. Claire comes into view, and her eyes slowly flutter open. It’s mid-afternoon, the sky a brilliant blue with a few clouds here and there. Claire is lying under a tree, just out of reach of the shade it provided, atop a grassy hill. The tree bears striking crimson apples. As Claire finishes her observations, the audience is asked a rhetorical question, obviously being thought by Claire herself. Where am I?
Script;;
-:: Scene One: Under the Bloody Tree ::-
[Claire sits up and winces. She raises a hand to her head, only to look at it and notice a faint brush of blood. She assumes she had hit her head.]
???: Are you lost?
[Claire’s eyes widen. She looks up to see a cat, who swiftly jumps down to join her, with a wide and extremely eerie grin stretched across its face. She watches in astonishment as he glimmers, and shifts into an anthropomorphic form.]
Claire: [She gives him a blank stare.] ...
???: Oh, where are my manners? I’m known as Cheshire.
Claire: ...
Cheshire: Well? Who are you?
[Claire hesitates, contemplating a vague answer.]
Claire: I ... I don’t exactly know, but ... I think my name is Claire.
Cheshire: [He crosses his arms and studies Claire with a frown.] You don’t know who you are? That’s not a very fun answer; I’m bored already ... Claire, was it?
[Claire nods absently, suddenly interested in the grass beneath her feet. The blue dress she wears flutters as a soft breeze curls by.]
Cheshire: Then we should go find out who you are, right? [His question is sudden, which takes Claire by surprise. Said girl tilts her head, confused.]
Claire: ... I guess so, but how? I don’t know where we are, yet I suppose you do ... but where would we even start? This world is completely different from what I remember.
Cheshire: [His gaze lights up.] From what you remember? What exactly was it that you remember, from your world?
Claire: [She crosses her arms as Cheshire takes a few steps forward, grinning eagerly.] Well, for one, in my world it was considered creepy if someone walked around with real cat ears and tail. Especially with the getup you’re wearing ... the way you acted would make them think you were just some mad cosplayer ...
Cheshire: [He laughs quietly.] We’re all mad here. Get used to it.
Claire: [She pushes Cheshire away when he begins to play with her hair.] Whatever. Let’s just go ... find my memories.
Cheshire: [He nods in agreement, his grin softening into a genuine smile, then takes Claire’s hand and leads her away from the tree, as well as the scarlet staining the lime-green grass.]
[End of Scene One.]
---
-:: Scene Two: Enter the Abyss ::-
[Claire looks around in wonder as they enter a tall oak tree, getting a cold feeling as she passes into an abnormally large room. All she could see, when she looks back at the hole they step into, is an inky blackness.]
Cheshire: [He spins around with his eerie grin again, hands on his hips. His tail sways behind him.] Welcome to the Nyx! Make yourself at home; just ignore the floating items.
Claire: [She blinks in confusion, then squeaks as two things collide against each side of her. She looks around to see that it’s a pair of twins, looking excited and jovial at her arrival.]
Twin #1: [He frowns now, a mock hurt lighting his expression.] Hey, boss ...
Twin #2: [He picks up his brother’s expression, looking like a mirror image of him now.] ... why didn’t you tell us ...
Both: [Both twins complete their sentence in total unison.] ... that you were bringing home a toy?
Claire: [Her thoughts are clouded with confusion.] Toy?
Cheshire: Now, now, boys, this is Claire. Treat her nicely if you don’t want your salary lowered.
[The twins look appalled at this information. They each plaster on a smile and nod once, then rest their arms on Claire’s shoulders.]
Twin #1: [He pats Claire’s head.] Fine. I’m Keiichi, and that over there is my younger brother, Kiocchi.
Kiocchi: But you can just call us Kio ...
Keiichi: ... and Kei.
Claire: [She crosses her arms and frowns at Cheshire.] How will this help me regain my memories? All I see are a pair of idiots and a psychotic cat.
Both: [The twins hook their arms around Claire’s.] Let’s not be rash, princess. You’re going to hurt our feelings.
Cheshire: [His jaws part in surprise.] P-psychotic?
Claire: [She immediately notices her mistake and tries to cover it up.] Nn ... Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I just --
Both: [The twins rest their heads against Claire’s, making her shiver with guilty pleasure.] We forgive you, Claire.
Claire: [She slips out of the twins’ grip and sidles away to stand alone in her own space.] T-that’s good then ...
Cheshire: [He waves airily to show that he hadn’t been offended, but then brings his hand to his chest, over his heart.] That was the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me ...
[Claire rolls her eyes and looks around. Suddenly, the ground begins to move. The twins and Cheshire duck for safety, while Claire falls to the ground on her hands and knees.]
Cheshire & Twins: [They shout in unison.] Claire!
???: Ah, what’s this? A fugitive?
[The ground stops shaking now. All eyes turn to the entrance. Two men stand there: a bored man with red hair, who hangs behind the one with an amused expression, who has dark brown hair.]
Cheshire: [His voice is curt.] Hello, Kune. Castiel.
[Castiel averts his gaze and says nothing. Kune claps his hands.]
Kune: Good, we’re all here~~! Let’s talk, Cheshi-dear.
[The two men move forward. Kune prances over to Cheshire and drags him to the next room. Wordlessly, Castiel drops against the wall next to Claire and sits silently.]
Claire: ... Hi.
Castiel: .....
[In the next room, Kune begins to question Cheshire. His attitude shifts and becomes more serious. Severity enters the man's tone.]
Kune: [He leans forward, eyes narrowed.] You know the penalty for sneaking in a fugitive. Especially one like her.
Cheshire: [The neko crosses his arms.] Correct. But that doesn’t mean I have to suck up to the Courts.
Kune: [He sinks back into his chair now, barely visible in the dim lighting, and says nothing.]
[Both men are silent, until Kune laughs quietly.]
Kune: Still stubborn, I see.
Cheshire: [He flashes a sweet, yet eerily wide grin.] Of course.
Kune: [He reaches out, leaning forward, and begins to tug at the bandages covering Cheshire’s eyes. They start to fall away after a few moments.] Just because you don’t serve us completely ...
[The bandage falls, ringing loosely around the base of Cheshire’s neck.]
Kune: ... does not mean you may lie to us.
[Cheshire opens his eyes slightly. They stand out in the darkness immediately, glowing an eerie purple color. It reveals that he has strange symbols covering where his pupils and irises would be. The symbols are a dim white-silver against the brilliant magenta.]
[End of Scene Two.]
---
-:: Scene Three: Reserved Secrets ::-
[Kune opens the door and skips from the room, churring and skipping happily. Cheshire follows more slowly, the bandages back in place over his eyes.]
Kune: That was fun~~! Maybe we should stay a while, hmm, Cast-kun?
Castiel: [He looks away and sighs.]
[Cheshire sinks into a red plush chair beside the door he and Kune had emerged from. The twins sidle over to their boss and stations themselves on either side of him, blank-faced. Kune wanders over to Claire.]
Kune: [He extends a gloved hand to Claire, smiling sweetly.] Care to join us for tea, Claire?
Claire: [She blinks, slightly surprised.] How do you know my name?
Kune: [Laughing, he withdraws his hand momentarily. When Claire takes it, he pulls her gently to her feet.] I know the names of everyone who enters and exits this land.
Claire: Oh.
[Castiel gets up and pulls down a few floating items. Table and chairs, Claire notices. Kune skips over and produces some china and a teapot with a short flourish from his coat.]
Kune: [Patting a chair, the fellow motions to Claire.] Come, come! The tea is almost ready.
[Claire hesitantly goes over and sits in the indicated chair. Cheshire and the twins follow silently, sitting in the chairs across from Kune and Castiel.]
Kune: [He claps his hands.] Good, everyone is here! Castiel, could you set out the scones?
[Castiel complies. They all enjoyed their little tea party until, an hour or so later, Kune suddenly stood.]
Kune: We must be off! The red queen will not appreciate it if we are late for the executions.
Claire: [She tilts her head.] Executions ... ?
Castiel: [He gives a slight nod.] Every week she holds an event to distract everyone from the executions, when the guilty are tried and eventually killed. Today will mark the beginning of the setup for the event, this time a large party, which airs in a few days.
[Everyone but Kune stares at Castiel. Apparently nobody has heard him talk as much as he has now.]
Claire: [Recovering quickly, she tugs at Castiel’s sleeve.] What kind of party?
Kune: [He prances over upon seeing Castiel’s short grimace.] Any kind of party~! Nothing too formal, but enough to require some kind of frilly dress or suit.
Claire: [She wears a look of disgust.] Oh. I don’t really like those things ...
Keiichi & Kiocchi: [They sidle over to Claire, with Cheshire following warily.] Don’t feel down! You’ll look nice, we promise.
Claire: [Looking over at Cheshire, she couldn’t help but notice his glum attitude.] What’s wrong, Cheshire?
Cheshire: [He waves airily and collapses in his chair again.] Nothing. Everything’s fine.
Claire: If you’re sure ...
Cheshire: I’m fine. Just leave me be.
[Cheshire gets up, despite having just sat down again, and walks away, disappearing into another room. The door immediately disappears. Kune smiles without humor.]
Kune: We really must be off now.
Claire: [She turns to face Kune with a frown.] Alright ... well, I guess I’ll accompany you. Just outside, though. I want to explore a bit.
Keiichi & Kiocchi: [They give Claire a mixed look of surprise and hope.] What? Can we come?
Castiel: [He gives them a look that stops and silence them.] No.
Kune: [He claps his hands happily.] Of course, of course! But you can’t come to the castle until we’re done with the preparations, I’m afraid.
Claire: It’s fine.
[The three walk outside, and safely make it to the edge of the forest. Claire bows slightly to the two, then straightens with a small smile.]
Claire: Thanks. I guess I’ll be off, then.
Castiel: [He glances up at Claire, taking his eyes off the ground.] Be careful.
Claire: [Her cheeks alight with a soft pink color. It’s the first time anyone’s ever shown concern like that towards her.] I-I will.
[Claire waves goodbye. Kune is frantically waving his farewells with a wide smile. For a long time, Claire walks in a series of random directions, until she winds up lost in the middle of a rose garden.]
Claire: Is this ... a maze?
???: Who are you?
[Claire jumps slightly at the whimsical, childlike voice sounding behind her. She quickly turns to face whoever it was.]
???: Please answer me.
[Claire studies the child before answering. It was female, with long and slightly wavy silver hair. Her large eyes were a pretty aquamarine, and her features were that of beauty, yet they held trace of maturity.]
Claire: [She stammers intelligently, trying to find the correct words.] I ... uh ... I’m Claire. I was walking around, and I think I got lost in this maze.
???: [Her quiet, whimsical tone is lined with curiosity and wonder.] I see. Come in, before someone notices you.
[The girl gestures towards the cottage behind her, then disappears into it. Claire quickly follows, and the door closes softly behind her, not even uttering a squeak.]
Claire: [She sinks into an open chair, slightly dazed.] Might I ask ... --
???: What my name is?
Claire: [She blinks, surprised.] Y-yes.
???: [The girl sits in a plush chair besides her small fireplace and crosses her legs, leaning back to study Claire.] My name is Shiva Mitsukuni. I reside here in the rose garden, painting those who sprout white and tending to whoever needs it.
[Claire is silent for a long moment.]
Shiva: You want to know who you are, and why you are here. Am I correct?
Claire: [She shivers at the child’s vast knowledge.] Yes. But most importantly, I want to know when I will ... wake up.
Shiva: [She regards Claire with a strange look.] Wake up?
Claire: This is a dream, right? So I want to wake up as soon as I can. If I have family elsewhere ... they might miss me.
Shiva: [She nods thoughtfully.] Then you should make your time here into a good memory. I think you’ll be able to keep a very vivid one of here until you depart the living.
[Claire shivers, realizing the meaning of her words. Departure. Death.]
Shiva: [She glances up at nothing in particular with a slight frown.] It is time for you to go. Some expect to meet you in the village.
[With a start, Claire realizes this is a dismissal. Before she could get up to leave, however, she is struck by a wave of exhaustion and falls to the ground, completely oblivious.]
???: The game of reserved secrets has begun ...
[End of Scene Three.]
---
-:: Scene Four: Balance of Symmetry ::-
The game of reserved secrets has begun ...
[Claire awakens with a start, heart thudding wildly against her chest. Words resounded through her mind. She sits up and huffs.]
Claire: Secrets? No ... it was just a dream.
???: Hey, are you alright?
[Claire blinks and looks up to see a tall male looking down at her with bored concern. She notices how his clothes were ... perfect.]
???: [He growls impatiently.] Well?
Claire: I-I’m fine. Anyway, what’s up with you? You look like you just saw your worst enemy.
???: I don’t have time to play with people like you. I only asked if you were alright. Forget it now, I see that you’re fine.
[The man walks away haughtily, glancing back to shoot a venomous glare in Claire’s direction. She cringes.]
???: Hey look, it’s Claire!
[Claire looks over to see Keiichi and Kiocchi hurrying towards her, with big smiles and weapons aloft.]
Both: You okay?
Claire: [She grimaces and gets up, brushing her sleeves.] Yeah. There was a weird guy here just now, though, and --
[A sudden blare of horns and fanfare cut off Claire’s speech. A red parade came into view.]
Claire: Huh? I thought they were doing the executions right now.
Keiichi: [He gives Claire a look of disbelief.] Did you pass out or something? The executions ended yesterday, a few hours after you and those two clowns left.
Kiocchi: No time; move it! [He pushes the two into an alley and directs them towards the rose garden.] Hurry!
[The trio make their way back to the maze of roses. Eventually, however, Claire finds herself lost within the branches.]
Claire: [She looks around, with a slightly frightened expression.] K-keiichi? Kiocchi?
[She wanders around for a few moments, until there is an opening in the thorns. Claire attempts to brush past it, and ends up on the floor. Looking up, she realizes she had collided into Castiel.]
Claire: C-castiel?
Castiel: [He merely blinks, regarding Claire with a slightly confused expression.] Oh, it’s you. I thought you’d have been with Elliot by now.
Claire: Elliot? Who’s that?
[Castiel sighs quietly and says nothing. Instead, he gets up, then pulls Claire up to her feet gently, with a be-more-careful look.]
Claire: [She crosses her arms.] Have you seen Kiocchi or Keiichi? I was separated from them.
Castiel: [He threw a questioning look at Claire.] Where exactly were you?
Claire: Well ... I was harassed by this royal-looking, asshole of a perfectionist in the village not too long ago. Then the twins found me, and the queen and her cronies started up a parade through the streets, so then we had to ...
[Claire rambled on for a few moments, until Castiel sighed and ran his fingers through his crimson hair.]
Castiel: That perfectionist was most likely Elliot. He has an OCD pertaining to symmetry.
Claire: [She frowned.] That explains why his clothes and stuff were all straight and clean.
[Castiel nodded and looked around. Claire fell silent.]
Castiel: You’ll never find the twins like this. Follow me.
Claire: [She puffed out her cheeks momentarily.] I don’t like him. Elliot.
Castiel: [He laughed quietly. A warm sound.] He’s usually not so hot-headed. Maybe he’s just not too fond on the idea of another foreigner here. After all, the last one had brought down the entire kingdom during their stay.
Claire: Oh. Well, I still don’t like him. He’s a cold, selfish, self-centered ba --
Castiel: [He chuckled again.] Language. There could be children reading this script.*
[Claire went ‘hmph’ and didn’t say another word until they reached the estate of Elliot. Again, Claire couldn’t help but notice how perfect everything was.]
???: Hi, Castiel!
[A figure emerges from the front doorway with a full grin on his face. He descends the steps quickly to greet his friend, but when he notices Claire, his expression turns sour.]
???: Oh. It’s you.
Castiel: [He frowns.] Claire, this is Elliot. Elliot, Claire.
Elliot: [He still wears the venomous glare, directed at said female, who returns the look.]
Castiel: Why don’t we go inside? [He states quickly, then ushers them both into the estate. Elliot reluctantly agrees with a sigh.]
Elliot: Alright. But first, let’s go to the back. I have to show you something.
[End Scene Four.]
{*Alternate this to ‘watching this anime/film’ if animated.}
---
-:: Scene Five: Perfection and Progression ::-
[Elliot leads the two through the house and into the backyard garden, seemingly drab compared to the luxury of the rose garden, even with it’s hyacinths and lilies. Claire begins to question Elliot, still standing beside a silent Castiel.]
Claire: So, Eli, what is it you wanted to show us? Do you have a giant marble statue? Or a hoard of gems?
Elliot: [He crossed his arms and looked away, looking extremely irritated and annoyed.] No. And don’t call me that!
[Castiel sighs and sits, cross-legged, next to the small pond filled with water lilies.]
Elliot: And be careful! I arranged those perfectly today.
Castiel: Shut it and get to the point. We don’t have all day.
Elliot: [He sighs and let his arms drop.] Alright. Well, today I learned a few things. The ink creatures have come back, and I think they’ve sided with the queen this time. Especially after we already ... ah ... got rid of them, last time around.
Castiel: [He glares sharply in Elliot’s direction.] What?
Elliot: [He nods solemnly.] They’ve returned. But I think we have a formidable weapon and spy to use against them, this time. None of our battles will go like last time, where nearly half of our kingdom fell to ... our former fugitive’s motives, at the end of the war.
[Claire stands there, silently, with wide eyes.]
Claire: [She begins to think.] I-Ink creatures? War? What kind of place is this?
Castiel: [He turns to face Claire, face expressionless.] That means Claire will have to stay here.
Elliot: [He looks shocked.] WHAT? No way! I’m not housing an asymmetrical woman, even if my life depends on it.
[Claire promptly chooses to ignore Elliot's exclamation.]
Castiel: [He laughs quietly now, getting to his feet.] That’s too bad. Find your way around the hate, or your life really will depend on it. [He reached behind a hedge and dragged two squirming figures out from behind it.]
[Claire recognizes the two as Keiichi and Kiocchi. Immediately, she becomes wary. Had they been there the whole time, listening to the conversation?]
Keiichi: [He yelps in surprise.] H-hey! Let ...
Kiocchi: [Mirroring his brother now, the younger twin begins to fidget more, twisting in Castiel’s grip.] ... us ...
Both: Go!
[Castiel releases his grip on the boys, letting them drop to the ground. He frowns disapprovingly.]
Claire: Kio? Kei? What are you doing here?
Both: [They stare glumly at the ground, ashamed.] We followed you.
Claire: [She sighs and pressed a hand to her temple, not knowing what to say. She hardly glanced as Castiel silently left the backyard, probably returning to the parade.]
Elliot: [He ignored the twins’ presence, and turned to Claire.] Claire ...
Claire: [She directed her attention to Elliot, blinking questioningly.]
Elliot: [He walked forward and tugged at her sleeve.] You should change your clothes. They aren’t symmetrical. It ... bothers me.
Claire: [She stares at Elliot in disbelief.] The whole time ... you pretended to hate me? It was all because of my clothes?
[Elliot simply nods, and gestures to the twins. They immediately snap back to their normal attitudes and begin to push Claire into the house. Servants stare at her as she passes, being dragged along.]
Elliot: [He follows thoughtfully.] I’ll have them set up a room for you. Then you can change into something appropriate.
[Claire rolls her eyes, exasperated. The twins disappear into a large room and begin to pick out a suitable outfit, then lay it out on the bed. After a few moments, Elliot draws his knife and points it at them.]
Elliot: Good job, boys. Now leave. I’d hate to see this room’s symmetry disrupted because of your selfish attitudes.
[The twins laugh merrily and hug Claire before skipping out, ducking out of striking range. Elliot leaves as well, leaving a dazed Claire alone in the big room. Immediately, she changes, tossing her dress onto the bed. She was now dressed in a simple, forest-green turtleneck and dark gray sweats.]
Claire: [She picked at her clothes, feeling uncomfortable.] ... isn’t it summer?
Elliot: [He materializes by the door, leaning against the frame casually.] Look out your window.
Claire: [She yelps and glares at Elliot, moving to look out the window.] Ever heard of knocking?
[Instead of waiting for an answer, she turned to do as Elliot said, only to meet a beautiful , silvery-white sight, all traces of former anger forgotten.]
Claire: [Her voice drops to a whisper.] N-no way ...
Elliot: [He smiles lightly and offers Claire his arm, standing upright now.] Would you like to accompany me back to the garden, then?
Claire: [Awestruck, she wanders over to Elliot and accepts his invitation.] Snow ...
[They descend another set of stairs and, retracing their steps, enter the garden once more. Only now, it’s covered in a thin layer of powder-white snow. Even the pond is lightly iced over. Claire can only stare, mouth curving into a happy gape, Elliot smiling idly at her side.]
Claire: [She closes her mouth and sighs quietly, keeping her smile.] I’ve never seen snow before.
Elliot: [He looks down at her, surprise alighting his features.] Never?
Claire: [She shakes her head.] Never.
Elliot: [He thinks for a moment, before remembering the event being held in the Courts, and promptly changes the subject.] Oh, hey, I just remembered that the ball is tomorrow. Would you want to go?
Claire: [She frowns slightly.] I won’t have to wear anything too over-the-top, will I?
Elliot: [It’s his turn to shake his head now.] Nah, I doubt it. We could fit you into something light, yet formal. Trust me, it’ll be fun just to pick out what to wear. And the queen’s parties ... oh, they’re extremely strict about schedule, but I guarantee you’ll have a great time~~!
Claire: [She giggles, extracting herself from Elliot’s grip.] You sound like Kune.
[Making a sarcastic face, Elliot gently took Claire’s hand again and led her back inside. They paused in the foyer, where a servant waited, looking shaken.]
Elliot: [He blinks in surprise.] Maria? What’s wrong?
[The servant girl, Maria, looks ready to burst into tears. Instead of answering, she draws in a couple shaky breaths, before eventually finding her voice.]
Maria: M-master Elliot, t-they’re back ...
[Elliot was getting frustrated now. Claire could easily see that he had somewhat of a short temper, and little patience.]
Elliot: What’s back? Maria, good lord, just tell me what’s wrong.
Maria: [As Claire had predicted earlier, she promptly begins to wail, letting her knees give out. Soon enough, she was on the ground.] The ink creatures! They killed mistress Ren ...
Elliot: [His expression switches from irritated to a look of utter shock.] Ren ... [He echoes with disbelief.]
[Claire could see plainly that Ren must have been another servant. An important one, at that. She decides not to say anything.]
Elliot: [As if on cue, he turns to glance at Claire.] Come on. We’re going to get to the bottom of this. [Looking back at the shaken servant, he barks a gentle order.] Maria, kindly take us to where Ren has fallen.
[Maria complies after a few seconds, still attempting to regain the breath she lost while crying her poor heart out. Much to Claire’s surprise, a grim-looking Elliot bends to scoop said female into his arms, making a faint pink brush across Claire’s cheeks self-consciously. In a matter of minutes, Maria had collapsed on the wall beside a large, wood ordinate double-door. Black material was hanging from the handle-knobs, and from some of the designs. Claire squeaks with horror when she sees the gruesome sight sprawled across the now-crimson bedsheets, after Elliot had pushed one of the big doors open. Seeing this makes Claire begin to feel light-headed. The stench of blood and death was too much.]
Elliot: [He curses quietly, eyes straying to the ink-like creatures, whose attention was now drawn to the newcomers.] Claire, get behind me.
[He sets Claire down slowly, who immediately complies. Then Elliot whips out his weapon, now a black gun. Two things happen at once. The creatures leap at Elliot as soon as he conjures the weapon, and said male immediately fires fifteen shots, blowing the creatures flat against the walls. They don’t move again. Instead, they dissolve, leaving behind only a smudge of lifeless black ink.]
Claire: Nn ... [She takes one last look at the twisted, broken, bloody body on the bed. Maria must have screamed once she had seen this. After a few moments, she hears Elliot murmur something.]
Elliot: Oh, Ren ... my poor sister ...
[That was the last thing Claire heard before the world tilted on its axis, and sent her into a spiraling oblivion.]
[End of Scene Five.]
---
-:: Scene Six: Of Text And Language ::-
[Claire moans quietly, feeling like she’d been hit over the head with a brick. She stirs restlessly, and opens her eyes a fraction, wondering why everything seemed so soft. Kune, Castiel, Cheshire, Keiichi and Kiocchi, even Shiva ... all those Claire had met, plus some servants, were gathered around where Claire lay. She bolted upright, frightened, only to wince and moan again. Her head hurt intensively.]
Castiel: [He frowned disapprovingly.] You’re hurt.
Claire: [She growls sarcastically.] No Crap, Sherlock.
Cheshire: [He grins now, tail waving like a banner.] Then stop moving, princess. You’ll only put yourself in a worse state than you’re in now.
Claire: [She blinks, surprised that Cheshire was back to normal now, but she turns her attention to her absent friends.] Hey, where’s Elliot? And Maria?
Kune: [He claps his hands together with a big smile, eyes closed.] Ellie-kun is picking out a dress for you. Last I heard, he was complaining about symmetry.
Castiel: Maria’s recovering in her room. [He puts in quietly.]
Claire: [She blinks again, then feels a weight on her lap. She looks down to see a few books, a quill, and parchment. The book has strange rune-like inscriptions on it.] Oh. What’s this?
Kune: [Again, he claps.] We’re going to teach you Anglo-Saxon, otherwise known as Moon Runes, for the big bang today! All citizens need to know it. It’s our written language here, and everyone has to at least know how to write their names in Runes. Then you have to get changed, and we’ll go to the party. It was moved up to today. Hooray~~!
Claire: [She groans and lets her head fall into her hands.] Great ...