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

[exloserspromise]

[It's depressingly familiar, waking up in a strange place. Even the part where he's alone and has absolutely no idea where he is rings a few metaphorical bells. Waking up under an apple tree to a dripping wet woman putting a sheathed sword in his hand is new, though. She darts away before Steve can even ask what the hell's going on, vanishing behind a dock in a lake Steve only notices when he climbs to his feet to go after her.

Weird.

Inspecting the sword reveals no real clues, just a pristine blade with guards in the shape of dragons' heads. Next to where he was laying, Steve finds his shield, a quill pen, and a book with the words "King Arthur" on the spine and nothing but blank pages within, which makes it useless for anything but suggesting this whole thing is a bad joke. He decides to hold onto it anyway: if nothing else, it's something to draw in.

There's nothing else to go on except the last peals of the bell fading away, so Steve carefully puts his resheathed sword in his belt, tucks the quill in his shirt pocket, puts his shield in its usual spot on his back, and sets off in what he hopes is the direction of civilization.]

[nofavorites]

Lost, Captain?

[There is a tall, cloaked figure nearby. Had it been there moments ago? Perhaps, perhaps not. Its hood is up, in any case, half its face shadowed and a thin smile on its pale lips.]

[exloserspromise]

[Steve's senses go on high alert, not pleased that this person, whoever they are, was able to catch him off-guard. Mysterious figures getting the jump on a fella just never bodes well.]

Getting my bearings. Do we know each other?

[nofavorites]

We've met in passing once or twice.

[And there's something in the way that's said that makes it sound like there's a hell of a lot more to that simple sentence.]

[petitgamin]

'Cuse me, don't suppose ye've got any idea where we are? [Look, it's an innocent young child. See the innocence on his face]

[big_n_tall_paul]

[Paul spies Steve as he is making his way to Märchenstraße. Paul's never seen Steve's face around town before. He leans down and extends his pinky for Steve to shake.]

Hi, m' names Paul Bunyan. I haven't seen you around Märchen before. Are you new here?

[yokihealer]

[Cynthia, having just arrived herself, has been wandering in the hopes that she might find someone in the same position as her. Someone feeling just as lost as she does right now. It's all just so bizarre, and she has no answers at all, though she'd really like to find out something helpful. Then she might be able to help others with whatever she's found out.

Up ahead, she sees a human and bites her lip, feeling just a little hesitant to approach, as much as she'd like to do so. She has nothing against humans. She really loves helping them. It's just that humans tend to not like "Claymores" like her very much. Taking a deep breath, she decides to just approach anyway, offering a soft smile. She carries her sword on her back, while holding her own book and quill in one hand, and a wooden doll in the other. Unfortunately for her, she doesn't even have a pocket to try and carry something in, and she feels she can't abandon the book and doll. The townsfolk insisted she keep them, after all. Strange.]

Hello there!