Once upon a time...

[timefather]

[ For the residents of Märchenstraße, and all the land surrounding it, the eighth of December was a day to look forward to. Looking at it from an outside perspective, strangers and travelers could easily assume it to be a holiday. At the very least, a day for a festival, if a modest one. A day that shopkeeps spent all morning preparing for, that all manner of creatures spent days traveling to the city to witness. They'd heard the talk that passed around, the rumors from those still left. But would it work? No one knew for sure, no matter how confident the stories seemed to be. But hope was very quickly becoming all they had left.

They had decorated the whole town. Streamers, banners, wreathes and garland made of autumn flowers, plus whatever the Fairy Godmother had cooked up. Oh, she was just giddy. No skepticism could be spoken around her, not if you wanted to escape the wrath of her wand! Rumor had it that she had caught wind of a few piglets squealing about the likelihood that their magic would fail, and that they were subsequently transformed into the band of musicians who could be found performing in the park.

Well, at least the music was festive.

Of course, the decorations weren't for the newcomers alone. Autumn was coming to a close in just a few weeks, and Old Man Winter would take the reigns like he did every year, and their weather would turn cold and harsh. The chill was already there, cool and biting when the wind picked up speed. Lady Autumn was much preferred to the citizens of the city with her gentle nature, even if she failed to show up, finishing her work in the orchards instead. That was what they liked about her.

It was mid-morning when Father Time was found outside of his tower, checking one of the numerous pocket watches he kept on his person. "Unnecessary, but comfortable," he called them, and closed the watch again. It was twelve o'clock in the afternoon, and where empty space had been just seconds before, now they were. Sitting on benches, lying in flower patches, scattered about the city and outside of the gates in peaceful slumber. They would awaken to the bells of the clock tower. Some, to many friendly and relieved faces all around them, some to grateful ones carrying gifts of food and clothing and magic, and some to fearful, cautious faces. Regardless of how the town treated them, they would awaken to a celebration of their arrival, and choices to be made, and the books. Each and every one. ]

Comments

[pishirogane]

[Naoto doesn't know what to make of this. She had come around at the bells, but then heard a giggle. Seeing the Fairy Godmother drift past, she snapped up, journal and quill clattering. Her head turned around and she rolled over, staring up.]

What's... ah?! [She jumped as plants rose beneath her fingers and stumbled to her feet. She just managed to snatch up the journal, her breathing harder. This couldn't be... or could it? The television world had simulated her school before, but this was outrageous. Slowly, she began to walk forward, slipping the journal away into her jacket. Naoto didn't even bother checking the binding; she wanted to know where she was.]

[bellbound]

[After exploring the town for perhaps an hour, Mogget has learned that the best way to spot other newcomers like himself is to find those people who a) don't seem to recognize him and b) are recognized by the other townspeople, to their obvious chagrin. It takes him a few minutes of following Naoto in cat form to establish this.]

You too?

[He says this from his perch on a wall just above her as she passes by, tail swishing over the other side.]

[pishirogane]

[Three little pigs were enough, but turning quickly, she sees the cat. No surprise it's talking to, but the way it says 'you too' means he isn't from here either.]

... Yes. They've been calling you by another name as well then despite insisting otherwise?

[bellbound]

The name from the journal. Yes.

[He tilts his head. Does she have a journal too? If it's the same pattern for all the newcomers...]

[pishirogane]

I see...

[So, she isn't the only one. That raises the question of how many there are then and what's the point.] How many others like us have you seen?

[bellbound]

A few. All bewildered and lost. To what purpose I don't yet know, but these new names are not a comforting development.

[To bestow a name is to bestow an identity. Mogget knows this well enough.]

[pishirogane]

No, they're not.

[She just discovered her own identity thanks.] I spoke to a young girl who said her name was 'Lamb'. She said Father Time would know more details.

[bellbound]

[His ears prick at that.] Father Time? And where might he be found?

[pishirogane]

There's a lake in the center of this town and a clock tower sits in the center. That apparently is his domain on a typical day, but he's apparently around today.

[cancercarcino]

[Now that Karkat's gotten the hang of walking with the added weight of wings behind him, he's taken to wandering the town. Of course, whenever there's a significantly strong breeze, it usually catches in his wings and causes him to lose his balance. This was one such occasion, and Karkat flailed as he struggled to regain balance.]

Shit, shit!!

[Flail, flail, stumble, wham! He walked right into someone.]

[pishirogane]

[For Naoto, it's all a matter of holding down her hat before it's blown away. It's what little she has right now and she would work on settling in more after speaking to Father Time. However, she cannot control all the forces around her as someone walked into her.]

Ah...!

[cancercarcino]

[Wham! Karkat loses his balance after the collision and falls to the ground, kicking up dirt and feathers. He growls, wings flapping uselessly behind him as he struggles to sit up.]

Lousy stupid goddamn things!

[pishirogane]

[Naoto's back on her feet and dusting herself off in a moment. Realizing that Karkat's having trouble however, she holds out a hand to help.]

[cancercarcino]

[Karkat looks up at the hand being offered, before reluctantly accepting the help. He manages to get to his feet, and tries to carefully fold his offending new appendages to his back.]

Uh, thanks.

[pishirogane]

[Karkat up, she nods.]

You're welcome.

[She crosses her arms, thinking.] You're the first I've met to show some physical changes to their appearance. [Why the wings, grey skin and horns all together though is quite beyond her.]

[cancercarcino]

Yeah, well I wasn't planning on growing a pair of wings either.

[At her statement, Karkat perks up a bit.]

You're not one of these crazy consorts either? Thank fuck, I was about to flip my shit if I was the only one here.

[pishirogane]

[... Does that mean the horns and gray skin are normal? Curious.]

No, I'm not. There seems to be a few of us here misnamed.

Takin' place after TD thread.

[topgun_textiles]

[And so they bumped into each other, trying to work things out, and came up short save for their roles here. She was Beauty, and he was Beast. What that all meant, he didn't know. The strangeness began anew when it was almost alarmingly easy to hire a carriage, the driver more than happy to take him 'home'.]

[And home was more magnificent than he could ever imagine: While the forest was locked in a blustery, picturesque winter mingled with the occasional howl of wolves, the castle itself seemed locked in eternal summer, the stone walls covered in intact ivy and the black iron gates showing no signs of cold when Kanji touched them and they opened on their own. It was like they were beckoned inside. But the castle itself, surrounded in the most lovingly-tended, labyrinthian garden of roses and countless other blooms, topiary shaped in many fantastical shapes was in itself like it was carved out of marble; the pristine white stone reaching high into the skies and dotted in fine drapings that swayed with every stray wind. Many flags flew high, bearing an odd crest that matched what was carved into the heavy wooden doors leading into the castle proper. Kanji swallowed, feeling his neck ache as he craned his head to take the whole thing in.]

Aw, hell, they weren't kidding about the 'Prince' shit...!

Indeed

[pishirogane]

[Naoto didn't know what to make of it, but she went along with Kanji, silently contemplating what Father Time had told her. It... she didn't know what to make of this all. And when she had informed Kanji about the need to take on a little of their new identities, he wasn't exactly happy. She wasn't either, but if they had to, they should probably start.]

[The carriage ride was cozy and the sight of the castle almost jaw-dropping. She would never let such expression come to her, but her eyes did widen a great deal. This was... the place they would reside together? The iron gates and snow around giving way to the picturesque summer inside. Roses seemed to stand out amongst the flowers to her, but her eyes soon came to the architecture. This was extravagant. Too extravagant... did they have to stay here? She stood beside him before the main door, staring up, but then dropping her eyes to him.]

No... no they weren't.

... We should probably go inside.

[topgun_textiles]

[He knew, deep down, that whether they liked it or not they had to abide by their given roles here. Or, at least, a little. He was still Kanji, not a beast, but he would still find a way to figure this place out and know how to be both people at once.]

[The idea of faerie tales disappearing deeply bothered him. He grew up to stories like Beauty and the Beast and tales that made you think, all while teaching you a lesson albeit outdated. He'd even heard of stories talking about what would happen if people stopped loving and reading them anymore, but now he was living it. So they had a plan- work out exactly what happens in the story that they're supposedly to relive, and have a leg up on what it was they're supposed to do. So Kanji nodded.]

I-inside... yeah.

[He shook his head to clear it and stepped forward through the front garden. But before he could finish heading up the steps and knock, the wooden doors opened, giving way to a rush of cool air from the interior. Inside, standing gathered in the foyer were at least three dozen people dressed very much in their respective roles: Crisply-dressed kitchen staff, maids and housekeepers alike, all who dipped into a bow, greeting the two of them warmly in a resounding Welcome Home. It seemed news got around of the fables' return, and they'd grown worrisome, fearful of futilely cleaning a castle with no master. Their arrival brought them a relief, shown in their eyes when they stood upright again. The Head Chef even had new pep, barking orders to the cooks to begin preparations for dinner 'just like old times', and a dozen hurried away to do just that with the mustachioed man walking with purpose to follow behind.]

...

[But Kanji didn't stop them. He was actually getting a little hungry, and was curious to see what was in store for later. But four of the maids approached to relieve the pair of their coats and Kanji stiffened, grasping his jacket to keep it on his shoulders.]

H-hey, hey, hey! Hold on a sec! L-library! We needta- We're goin' to the library to check somethin' out today.

[The maids paused, exchanging confused glances, but one quietly offered to escort them right there. Kanji sent a glance to Naoto, pink-faced. He wasn't sure he could handle pampering.]

[pishirogane]

[Faerie tales were told to children as she had said earlier. Maybe they would have been something her parents told her at bed time, but she certainly hadn't read them. The few they actually had at home collected dust while she grabbed mystery novels again and again from the shelves. Grandpa never said anything about it, but encouraged whatever path she wanted to take. She never thought her personal avoidance with anything childish would lead to this.]

[As Kanji walked forward, she walked alongside him, eyes trailing to the garden. There was something odd about it that caught her attention. Yes, it was a change from the weather beyond the gate, but why was the question. And why did this difference make her feel strange?]

[Her head whipped around when the door opened and again, she paused to stare at the numerous amount of people that were just... standing there, staring at the two of them. Naoto glanced towards Kanji again before gazing around at the staff, coming to realize that this would be something they had to deal with too. Such as now when the maids prepared to relieve them of their coats. Unlike Kanji, Naoto was used to having one or two servants even though Yakushiji mainly attended to her family.]

Sorry, I'm still chilled from the weather. I would prefer to wear my coat a moment longer.

[Though wearing a coat inside signified preparedness to step out, she at least told them she was cold. The maid leading them smiled and answered that she would see to a fire for them. She went on to say how it must have been cold waking up outside the castle as winter was soon to arrive in town proper.]

[topgun_textiles]

Someone else was tellin' me winter was almost here... but Spring was in full swing last I remembered, so...

[So either they slept for months or some funky time shit was going on. Still, he was glad for the help, and soon they stepped into an immense, yet cozy library. The bookshelves were stacked to the ceiling, broken only by the windows with their curtains thrown open, letting the last rays of sunshine in, painting the normally-bright room with hues of gold and rose. The maid continued onward to finally get that hearth going again after so long, but Kanji caught sight of the ornate ladder.]

Crap... I hope this is alphabetized or somethin'.

[But they usually went by author, then title. And he couldn't remember any of the names of the people who wrote the story.]

Uh, 'scuse me? If we wanted to find the- uh, our story... where's it at?

[The maid simply turned, looked and pointed, and Kanji's eyes followed suit.]

Oh. Well that's easy. I'm gonna go get it and try not to take a nap in one of those monster sofas. They look comfy as hell...

[And off he goes, tugging along the ladder.]

Man, who has time to read all this stuff? Can anybody really read alla these in their lifetime?

[pishirogane]

Märchenstraße and Inaba reside in separate time and season. If we've been brought here, who could say that it would be the same month we left?

[There was more to say, but Naoto fell silent the moment they entered the library. It wasn't even the decorum this time, but the multitude of books stacked in their many shelves. Up to the ceiling and around the open windows, her heart raced. No doubt they weren't all Mysteries or Science Fiction, but it was grander than even her grandfather's study. It made her feel excited... giddy even.]

[Kanji said something, but she didn't hear. The ladder being pulled snapped her back down.]

H-Huh? Allow me. I wouldn't mind reading it...

[She followed after Kanji, passing books that she wanted to grab off the shelf. Still, they had to learn about their tale first and the finer details.]

[topgun_textiles]

[He climbed right up and leaned to get a better look at the spines.]

Hey yeah, they're right here... uhh, there's Villeneuve, there's de Beaumont, and two that look like scripts for opera or somethin'. I'm gonna grab 'em all.

[One, two, three, four, the books were stacked neat before he tucked them under an arm and slowly made his way back down. At the corner of his eye, the fire in the hearth was starting up, crackling and growing as the maid neatly dusted off her apron and called up if there was anything else she could provide. Tea? Lady Beauty had expressed feeling a chill...]

Uh, sure.

["Right away, Your Highness." And off she goes, not noticing the brief look of horror Kanji sent to her retreating back.]

H-hey, don't call me--

[But she was gone when his shoes touched the carpet. He sighed, and held the books out for Naoto.]

I take two, you take two?

[pishirogane]

I'm not surprised. It's a popular tale...

[Still, Beaumont sounds familiar as do the existing opera scripts, but Villeneuve? She held the ladder as he came down. With the fire going, she decided maybe she can remove her jacket now.]

[Hearing Kanji stutter, she sighed and released the ladder to undo her jacket.]

You'll have to get used to the title, Kanji-kun. We both have to.

[Jacket off, she draped it over her arm and accepted the books. She nodded.]

Sure. Let's sit down and decide. [She headed to the closest couch with a table.]