01; Action;

[uzuki]

We've got to hurry! We have to find Shion!

[It might have seemed strange to someone else, Shion speaking about herself in the third person, but Shion had already grown accustomed to it. Her past self was outside somewhere, in the warzone that Miltia had become over the last few hours. Shion knew she had precious little time to find herself, and rescue her parents, but she had resolved to do it.

She sprinted ahead of the group, and raced out of the large glass doors of the Labyrinthos lobby, and into... Another lobby? this is where she enters Prospero. She staggers to a stop, and takes a moment to stare at the interior of the hotel lobby she now occupies.]

No... This can't be right...

[She hurries outside again, and this time makes it. But it's very obvious that she isn't on Miltia anymore.]

I don't understand... What's going on?!

[Feel free to welcome this confused and frantic woman who is now trying to figure out how she has time or spaced jumped yet again.]

Comments

[uzuki]

Your death...?

[Shion pretty much hates him for what he did on Miltia, but she wouldn't wish death on him.]

[misplacedxsheath]

I take it you're from before that particular event, then. Yes, my death. I assume you find it hard to believe, given that I'm standing here very much alive?

[uzuki]

Exactly. If you died somehow, how are you here right now? And how could I be from "before" an event?

[misplacedxsheath]

Life and death mean nothing to this place, nor does the flow of time itself. We've been drawn from different points in our world's time, and I from whatever fate I've earned in life. But if you don't trust my words, simply ask Kukai. He's familiar with both phenomena as well.

[uzuki]

Drawn? But why? And where to?

Kukai.... Jr.?

[misplacedxsheath]

The island of Prospero, on Lost Jerusalem circa two-thousand AD. As for why, that's anyone's guess at the moment.

And no, I'm referring to the youngest of the URTVs.

[uzuki]

Lost Jerusalem?! That's impossible, it doesn't exist!

Keywords.

[misplacedxsheath]

*Glare.*

Watch your tongue! Lost Jerusalem is the birthplace of humanity, the land of our ancestors. It may be beyond our reach, but it most certainly exists. And you can simply ask any of our fellow captives to support my claim, although most know it by its original name of Earth.

I wouldn't suggest asking the natives, however, as they're completely unaware of the unusual circumstances here and interplanetary travel on any worthwhile level is an impossibility with the current technology level. They'd merely label you insane for asking what planet you're on.

[uzuki]

I will not! It's a well known fact that the planet disappeared. Unless we've gone further into the past, it's not possible to be on Lost Jerusalem. You can think whatever you like, but that's how it is.

[misplacedxsheath]

Hmph, you're a poor listener, aren't you? I told you, we're currently in the twenty-first century AD, long before the disaster that led to humanity's forced exodus from our homeland. And even if we weren't, you saw Rennes-le-Chateau. That landmass was formerly a part of Lost Jerusalem. How could you be so sure that it's impossible to re-discover the planet it originated from?

[uzuki]

It doesn't make any sense, why would we go back this far then? And why wasn't there any event like the first time?

What is Kevin thinking...?

[misplacedxsheath]

Presumably, whatever force is behind these kidnappings wants us here at this particular point in time. And whatever it is, it's unconnected to our own universe, as people arrive here from dimensions entirely unrelated to our own.

[uzuki]

So even you don't know what's happened?

[misplacedxsheath]

If I did, I would have put a stop to it long ago. As much as I've always dreamed of seeing this planet, I've no desire to be anyone's prisoner. Nor did I have any particular wish to be resurrected in the first place.

[uzuki]

[She stands there in thought for a moment... She has no reason to believe anything that Margulis says, but still, it's a pointless lie, if it is one. Without any other idea on what to do, she pulls out her trusty connection gear, and attempts to scan the area... Which proves to be pretty shocking.]

The UMN is... Gone?

[misplacedxsheath]

This is an era before the construction of the UMN as we know it even began. In light of that, it should come as on surprise that your connection gear is unable to access it.

[uzuki]

It really is... So far back? But why?

[misplacedxsheath]

I told you, we have yet to uncover any details as to the motives of our captors. All we know is that presumably, there's some reason they want us here in this particular time period.

[uzuki]

I don't understand why someone would want this. Why would someone bring us here and not show themselves? Why not tell us what they want?

[misplacedxsheath]

If we understood, we'd be in a better position to fight back, now wouldn't we? But there's no use standing around and idly wondering. Either put forth effort to find the answers yourself or stay out of the way of the people who are.

[uzuki]

[Oh because you're figuring so much out standing here having this argument >:O]

Well of course I'm going to look for answers!

[She scoffs at his ridiculous warning. She's going to be happy to put forth effort, once she isn't totally disoriented.]

[misplacedxsheath]

*At least he's not asking the same questions of the same person after being told that the answers aren't readily available.*

Good. If you'd planned on being totally useless, then I would have had to wonder why I was wasting my time trying to bring you up to speed.

[uzuki]

Well then, what exactly do you know, aside from this being Lost Jerusalem and you don't know who brought us here or why?

[Because if you don't have any useful information you shouldn't be chiding a distraught person for asking questions and hoping their dead fiance will pop out to answer them.]

[misplacedxsheath]

*That last part is just pathetic, alright?*

There's an extra hour at midnight during which the ordinary citizens here freeze and creatures known as Shadows that are as hostile as Gnosis, if far less threatening, appear in the city. During that period, we can summon entities called Personae that claim to be a part of us, and those are our primary weapons. Ordinarily, anyway. We seem to have re-gained access to a portion of our own abilities of late, when normally even the most basic of Ethers is suppressed.

City hall also transforms during that hour and becomes a maze filled tower teeming with Shadows. It's only possible to enter in groups, but there are occasionally useful items within it.

[uzuki]

[Hey, it's happened before... Kind of.

It takes Shion a little time to process this, and to discern whether or not she's going to believe it. She... may not, but still. She doesn't have much of a choice but to go along with it... For the moment.]

A maze? Has anyone completed it?