IN THE FOREST OF THE LOST

[beathollow]

it's all too perfect.

Comments

THE BANQUET HALL

[beathollow]

A dining hall with a grand feast spread out! It's luxurious and smells delicious. A few maids and servants are tending to everything, but something seems hidden behind the curtain...?

[emptyself]

[ soujuurou will try to go sneaking in to see what’s behind the curtain? ]

[beathollow]

A maid quietly shakes her head-

We can't- its the things the Princess isn't allowed to have...

[emptyself]

Oh. So sorry. Do you need help?

[ she gets a quick bow. ]

Um… is there a reason that she can’t have… whatever is behind there?

[beathollow]

They're not healthy! Too much sugar, or fat. Nothing the Queen doesn't approve of is welcome at this table.

[ledbythewind]

[Ah, what a familiar sight. It's familiar, and that's exactly why he hates it, because he knows this sort of thing is nothing more than a pretty cover for empty words and shallow exchanges, a chance for people to try to bend others to their will with gilded words.

That's how these things always go, and that's why Richard is far more interested by whatever is behind that curtain than he is the tableau itself.]

[beathollow]

The maid shakes her head, pleading-

The Queen doesn't allow these items! I don't know how they keep getting in.

[ledbythewind]

[Hmmm. Can he see just what sort of items she's referring to?]

[beathollow]

...

If he cranes his head, he can see...

A baggie of sugar cookies, cups of apple tea and hot chocolate, and...

Arven's sandwiches?

[supherb]

[Well. No one should be surprised that Arven would gravitate toward the food. It does smell good… He imagines that the queen has employed only the best chefs for the family.

He regards the maids with stiff politeness. He’s still trying hard to contain his emotions.

Will they let him and Mabosstiff explore?]

[beathollow]

He's a good boy, so of course!

And everything smells tantalizing.

[supherb]

[It does…but he knows better than to take what he hasn’t been invited to eat. So he’ll ask a maid:]

Is this for guests?

[beathollow]

Oh, yes! And the Queen herself made some of these dishes- isn't she so benevolent? Please, try some!

[finalmix]

[ you can't bait me like this.






will the servants notice him heading towards the curtain this time round or not-- I hate my luck. (7) ]

[beathollow]

Someone tugs him back- a servant, frowning.

I know no one can match the princess's manners, but don't you think it's rude to snoop?

[finalmix]

I have no idea what you're talking about.

[ he won't fight back the tugging since the others are engaging in on the snooping. hopefully they have higher successes!! ]

We were told to come here.

[ not wrong. but also not correct. ]

[beathollow]

To dine, perhaps, but this is where we place the things that must be thrown away.

[goei]

[The curtain's hiding the things Mafuyu isn't allowed, huh? What if Izou simply tries to just cut one of the curtains down? (11)]

[beathollow]

All the servants SHRIEK. But it reveals what's been hidden!

Bags of sugar cookies, hot cocoa, apple tea and... Arven's cooking? all wait behind the curtain. Instinctually, you know that they're different from the food here.





Oh, also you're now facing Leanan Sidhe, Oberon and a Bugbear.

ROUND 1

[beathollow]

Bugbear casts Marin Karin on Soujuurou, inflicting him with BRAINWASH!

Oberon casts Mazionga, missing Soujuurou (4), hitting Izou (20), Arven (16), Richard (14) and missing Joshua (7).

Leanan Sidhe decides Soujuurou has it too good though and casts Psio for... nothing because she misses.

[emptyself]

[ soujuurou takes the spell with a silent gasp…

and then falls still.

he turns towards the crowd, staring listlessly at them. the intruders who darw wreck the careful balance that the queen has set for the perfect princess.

he settles his eyes on the main perpetrator—izou—and quietly launches himself to land an open-palm punch at his back (18) ]

[finalmix]

[ oh for fuck's sake.

he is not saying it but he is definitely thinking it rn. ]

[ anyway, he's casting media on izou, richard and arven. ]

[supherb]

[What the FUCK happened here—oh shit there goes Soujuurou brutally attacking Izou.]

Hestia!!

[His cry is a bit more desperate than he’d like, but Soujuurou needs to be stopped quickly. An Energy Shower is just the thing to get rid of that brainwashing!]

[goei]

[Even with the heal, Izou looks pretty ragged, but that's not going to stop him because he's very good at muscling through the pain.

Medea guides his sword as he goes in with a Giant Slice (19) on Oberon]

Get outta our way! We're here ta get Mafuyu back!

[ledbythewind]

[Since Josh has the heals for this round covered, Richard is going to instead aim a Tiger's Prowl (13) at Oberon as it seems determined to be particularly annoying!]