One [Video]: In Which Klaus Demands Answers

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

[Suddenly, a video feed clicks on. The image is blurry and moving sporadically: this video is clearly accidental.]

--pears to be some sort of... oh.

[The image stabilizes somewhat. It reveals itself to be the face of an older man with absolutely ridiculous hair, looking very Perplexed but altogether Intrigued.]

Interesting. I assume this is some manner of recording or communication device, then. And if you press --

[The feed clicks off suddenly, and then returns a few seconds later.]

-- relatively simple, all things considered. If only the buttons weren't so deucedly small... but it will have to do.

I am Baron Klaus Wulfenbach and, if anyone is listening, I would like some answers. A cursory investigation of this place has made it painfully obvious that I am very, very far from my homeland and, it appears, my place in relative space-time. I would like an explanation from someone more familiar with this universe as to where I am, when I am and, perhaps, the general history of this city. It is discomfiting enough to be removed from one's home when one is in the middle of attempting to stop a war; it is far worse to be removed to somewhere that one knows nothing about. Thus, I require information, if you please, and quickly.

[And he'll just stay on the damn phone until someone answers him, too. How long can you resist that Imperious Stare, Prospero?]

Comments

[Video]

[toomanypetals.livejournal.com]

...What is it with these geezers and shaking the damn camera?

[Sorry about that, TO MORE IMPORTANT THINGS.]

Tch, all I can really tell you is this stupid city is called Prospero, and that you're not the first person to get dragged here.

[From the sour look on his face? He's one of them.]

Today's date is Sunday the fourteenth, in the year 2011 Anno Domini, and you can go research the city's history in the library.

[Video] 1/2

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

[... NOT WHAT HE WAS EXPECTING.]

Two-thousand--

[Video] 2/2

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

Well. I am very much out of my element, then. Over a hundred years so, in fact.

My thanks.

[So either Lucrezia sent him through time this time because clearly just sending him to another country didn't work, or he's hallucinating. Could be both, to be fair.]

I assume you are no more a native than I am?

[Video]

[toomanypetals.livejournal.com]

I'm not.

[Yeah no not native.]

I have a war of my own to fight, and it's definitely not here.

[ Video ]

[best-bro.livejournal.com]

This land is known as Prospero!

[ And that's all that Enkidu can answer at this moment! ]

[ Video ]

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

[Well, it's a start.]

I haven't heard of it, but I suppose that is to be expected. Are you a native?

[needsteaplz.livejournal.com]

Space-time...

I only got here recently myself but from what I can see it's the year 2011 A.D. or common era. We're on an island known as Prospero.

Although this is rather strange. I wasn't expecting people from a different world to be here. For a moment I thought this was some kind of afterlife...

[Her voice trails off because she's just recalling her last moments before waking up here. Having your soul ripped from your body's not exactly a pleasant memory after all.]

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

That is a possibility I hadn't considered. I am not a terribly religious man, so I admit the thought never quite crossed my mind.

[Maybe Lucrezia thought killing him would be the best way to get him out of the way? But this is a very strange afterlife, if that's what it is.]

But one would assume that an afterlife would be somewhat... larger. And better-organized. No, I do believe this is merely some sort of hub between various spaces and times. I have seem time manipulated and what I assume was manipulation of space so it isn't too difficult to imagine that there are particular places perhaps more prone to that occurrence...

[SAORI YOU'RE LOSING HIM TO SCIENCE. QUICK GET HIS ATTENTION.]

[needsteaplz.livejournal.com]

[Then she counters your SCIENCE with FOLKLORE.]

Uh, that maybe, but to my knowledge there's no afterlife mentioned in any folklore I know that matches this place. Depending which folklore the afterlife is based on, it may or may not be organized very well. Still, I never heard of an afterlife looking so modern.

And the only reason why I thought this was...technically I think should've died by now given the circumstances before I woke up here.

[soulsborderline.livejournal.com]

You caught on quicker than most people, gramps. Sounds like the city grabbed an educated guy for once.

I don't really have any more information than that first guy who talked to you gave you, except to be careful around midnight here. Also, no one with one of these phones is a native, and the people who are native to this town are oblivious to anything remotely out of the ordinary, including most of what we do.

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

That is unfortunate. The natives of any one place are generally the best place to start when gathering information, but if they are as clueless as you make them out to be I imagine they won't be much help.

And what, exactly, happens around midnight?

[soulsborderline.livejournal.com]

Monsters attack. Someone who got here before me decided to call them "Shadows". Everything freezes for an hour between midnight and the next second, water turns to blood, and weird monsters come out of the woodwork.

Those of us who aren't losers fight the monsters, of course.

[video]

[ex_cashcow493]

A pleasure, Baron Klaus Wulfenbach. [ A bow of her head. ] I am Saber. Have you already been filled in on the details thus far?

[Video]

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

I am on an island called Prospero, circa the year 2011 AD. Everyone with one of these phone devices was similarly abducted and brought here, regardless of their place in spacetime prior. And apparently, odd things happen at midnight. Have I left anything out?

[Video]

[ex_cashcow493]

[ Forgot the weird dude or dudette in the head. Sadly, Saber knows nothing of Persona herself. ]

Do you know how to fight?

[video]

[greyerrant.livejournal.com]

[ A hugely square-jawed face stares back at Klaus. ] You have been called to war against beings known as Shadows in the city of Prospero, off the coast of the united states. Welcome to the war, Baron. I am Garviel Loken, a member of the Legiones Astartes who has been brought here as well. Are you a man of war as well as education?

[Video]

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

[OH HI FELLOW MANLY MAN]

United... Hmf. Yes, I am a man of war. As stated, I was in the middle of one back home when I was so unexpectedly removed to this place. And while I sympathize with your plight, having been somewhat informed about these Shadows by a young woman who answered before you did, I regret to inform you that my own war is somewhat higher on my list of priorities.

However, I have also been informed that there is no possible way to leave, and bending space-time is quite beyond my capabilities. Are you the leader of the war effort?

[He's assuming, but Garviel looks like the sort of guy who's in charge, so...]

[Video]

[greyerrant.livejournal.com]

I had not considered myself such, I generally defer to Saber as our champion, but I suspect that in modern warfare I may be the most experienced person, here, particularly when it comes to engaging these... Daemons.

I am sorry that you, like me, have left behind your own battles for one you did not choose here, but we must do the job that is in front of us before we can return home.

I intend to announce a meeting of those that can perceive these Shadows soon, would you like to come?

[video]

[genius-idiot.livejournal.com]

...You almost make this sorta thing sound normal.

[Video]

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

I have seen very similar happenings on more than on occasion. It is a very inexact science, of course, so generally those dabbling in it are quietly... discouraged.

I assume where and when you come from is nowhere near technologically capable enough, or just stupid enough, to be playing with spacetime?

[genius-idiot.livejournal.com]

Not unless you're talking about movies or comic books or something.

[Video]

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

Nice to meet you, Baron Wulfenbach. I'm Devola.

Introductions aside, you're in Prospero, a city literally no-one you'll talk to over this phone-system had heard of before appearing in - and we all just appeared in it, mind you. There's a fairly comprehensive history of the city here in the library [And, judging from the view behind her, she's either in a library or owns a mansion. All dem books.] but there's nothing written about our... unique situation.

[Video]

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

Isn't that always the way of it? Strange happenings are never immediately explicable, especially ones that seem to be dependent on outside, anonymous forces.

[Though he still half-thinks that this is Lucrezia's doing. Because everything is her fault. Crazy ex-girlfriend and all, you know.]

You seem quite well informed. Have you been here long?

Video

[crazyoldbat.livejournal.com]

Well, finally someone of a respectable age appears. I assume the others have given you ample information on this place?

[Video] ARE YOU PSYCHIC I was just about to PM you and suggest these two meet

[myblimpisbigger.livejournal.com]

Yes, they have. However aggravating this place may be in the way of method of arrival, it certainly makes up for it with a very active welcoming committee. And you are?