oo1 ✦ let’s begin.

[richesse]

[ There’s a whisper through the murmur, more a breath of feeling than a fully formed thought. It’s sweet, and warm, and laughing—though it is not gentle, nor kind.

A voice follows the whisper, chased by darkness and shadows, the very suggestion of a nightmare. ]

Do you think we’re still dreaming? Or is this a living nightmare?

[ a hum, and another brush of teasing laughter, there and gone like a brief burst of memory, the last moment of summer that you can taste on your tongue before it’s irretrievably gone. ]

You’ve changed, haven’t you? We all have. What are you thinking, right now…? Who are you?

What are you?

Comments

[richesse]

Yes. I want to cross through there. It’ll give us a chance to mark locations where we can gather wood and plants. Plus, we can see what there might be to hunt.

Have you ever been to a museum, Noah?

[offseers]

[ his brow furrows. another unfamiliar word. but — ]

I think I know something like that. A place to keep . . . mementos of the past?

[ in the city. where the statues of the founders are kept. and the first ouroboros stone. ]

[richesse]

Yes. Artifacts… and weapons, too. I’m positive we could find you a sword.

[ plus, history. information. the names of places, and things. all useful in this scenario of a total unknown. ]

A school would be useful, too, but we can get there. This, first.

I spotted a building near the park that… well, I can’t be sure. It’s just a hunch. We won’t know until we’re there.

Are you up for it?

[offseers]

Yeah.

[ easy choice. easy answer. ]

What's your hunch?

[richesse]

… that building … my guess is it’s either a museum, a library, or a school. Any of the three would be useful, though for different reasons.

[ she moves to him, wrapping both her arms around one of his and smiling up at him. ]

Let’s hope I’m right, hm?

[offseers]

[ noah smiles back. ]

You don't seem like someone who gets it wrong. Let's test our luck.