Tale as Old as Last Wednesday [Maid IC]

[Trobby]

"Who can manage alright?" Ante says, glancing over to the empty space where Hani had been a few seconds ago.

Everyone could hear the fork hit the the porcelain plate. It clattered against it like the ringing of an alarm, as Ante's pupils shrunk to pinpoints, focused on the empty chair.

"...HANI!"

Ante runs off at full-tilt to find her sister.

Of course, this would probably be a bit more effective if she hadn't run off in the exact polar opposite direction of her sister, without paying any attention to where she was going.

[Benson]

Terran nodded, and rolled his eyes as Leon replied to Merry with...
"I wouldn't offer if I wasn't sincere...But if the company alarms you, don't wory; as cute as your flush is, I wouldn't want you to be ill-at-ease."

Merry found herself opening her mouth to speak in flushed reply to Leon when...stuff happened in between. She flinched a little at the melodramtically loud clank of the fork on the plate and then of course Ante cried out Hani's name.

Merry remained quiet uncertain of how to proceed from here. "........"

[Deme]

"...I think if everyone else is finished, we'd do well to go after them...Well, if we can find them."

Terran nodded and rose.

"We shall wish to divide our forces, but due to the danger of certain elements they may have wandered into in this castle, we do not wish for anyone to go alone. We should split into two groups, one of three and one of two...We will draw matchsticks, with two with heads and two without."

Terran pulled some match sticks from his pocket.

"Why do you have those?"

"Emergency fire."

((All present, roll luck in the OOC. Also, Hawk, I can't find your roll.))


---

Ante seemed to have wandered in her frantic search into...*gulp* The West Wing. Well, she thinks it's the west wing. She's in a hallway with 3 rooms. It's very dark, with only faint light from the broken windows. There's dust, and some of the walls seem to be not-so-firm.

[Trobby]

There is only one thing that would ever make Ante ignore her duty to the manor. And, unfortunately, that one thing was a little sister who had a propensity for wandering off when she got bored.

"Hani, come back right now! Everyone's going to be worried sick!"

Ante looked about the ruined West Wing of the manor, keeping wary of crumbling walls as she fruitlessly searched for her sister.

[Atreli]

Lune watched the events without nothing behind her eyes then that bright smile. After touching the corners of her mouth with a napkin she stood up from her chair.

" This may turn into an adventure I was not expecting." She said calmly as she drew her matchstick. " So much for lunch..."

[Deme]

Elder Sister's Search

The hallway eventually comes to an end. She either has to turn back, or head into a room. There are 4, two on either side.


---

Hani's Big Adventure


She ends up in a big room with lots of books -- it looks like a library. She thinks she hears some sort of scampering around the next corner...

---

Let's split up, Gang! Like, Zoinks!

Everyone draws a match. Leon and Merry draw the headless sticks, and Terran, Yuki, and Lune draw the sticks with match heads.

"Well, looks like everyone at least has a guide," Leon says with a laugh. He puts a hand on Terran's shoulder. "You have fun with two lovely ladies on your arms, alright?"

"Leee-ooon!"
Terran went scarlet at this, sending Leon into a bright peal of laughter.

"Shall we be off?" He offers an arm to Merry.

[Lycan 01]

Yuki finishes her tea, rises from her seat, and strides over to Terran. "Do not worry, Mister Terran. I do not bite." A pause. And then a wink. "Hard."

[Trobby]

"That sister of mine...I wish she would not wander off like this." Ante frets, looking between the four doors she has available to her. "There's no knowing where she's gone now...and now I'm talking to myself."

Ante stops talking to herself, and decides to open the first door on the right.

[Benson]

Naturally, Merry hesitated for a moment, of all the luck of being partnered up with Leon, by herself, with just him, alone, together. She couldn't quite pin point if this was going to be a good or bad thing. Urgh, if only she could will herself to tell him who she was, she wouldn't have to play this silly game she made herself play. Curses, woes, angst.

"Uh...yes...let us be off," She managed out of her mouth, a small smile playing on her lips. Just play it cool Merry, he doesn't care about your brimstone smell, so you shouldn't either, stop having a complex about it, stop wangsting about it. She reached over and grabbed his fuzzy/hairy arm all stiffly and such with her hand.

[Hawkflight]

Hani's Big Adventure


She ends up in a big room with lots of books -- it looks like a library. She thinks she hears some sort of scampering around the next corner...

"Um, h-hello?" Hani called out to the sounds of what she thought were the talking mice. "Um, it's okay, I'm a friend."

Spoiler

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Affection check to make a good impression on what I (and Hani) presume are the mice: (1d6x5)[25]

[Deme]

Current Mood: Emberassed

"Wha -- I -- Well, I suppose I'm relieved?"

He said, hoping this was the right answer. If they'd stop goading him, he could get his reserves back... TIME FOR SUBJECT CHANGE.

"Miss Yuki, thou saw the creatures she searchest for -- did they pronouncest their residence?"

----
And Off They Go

It's fur, but anyway, Leon sets off with a light step. Despite his concern, he seems more excited than anything else.

"Well, this should be a busy search. Do you think she'd have stayed indoors for her search?"

----

Having Fun, Ante?

She opens the door...And almost steps into a pit of spikes.

Make an athletics check to get her to hold onto the doornob before she falls in, or come up with your own solution.

-----

Nibble, Nibble, Little Mouse; Who's that Nibbling on my House?

The mice, charmed by the friendly voice, scamper out... And then immediately retreat, seeing that the owner is a cat. They know full well that if a cat appears harmless, it's just out to eat them sooner.
But at least she knows: there are mice in the library.

[Lycan 01]

Yuki pouts. "Relieved? You don't like biting? Oh, well that's disappointing..."

She then points up at the ceiling. "I believe the bat mentioned a tower above the kitchen."

[Benson]

And Off They Go

It's fur, but anyway, Leon sets off with a light step. Despite his concern, he seems more excited than anything else.

"Well, this should be a busy search. Do you think she'd have stayed indoors for her search?"

"Ah...I'm not sure, but maybe we should look indoors anyway? Process of elimination or some such...I think....Unless of course 'evidence' suggests our path to venture outside......So maybe we should start outside...err..I don't know--" She rambled, over thinking this all, fretting with her apron with her free hand.

[Hawkflight]

Nibble, Nibble, Little Mouse; Who's that Nibbling on my House?

The mice, charmed by the friendly voice, scamper out... And then immediately retreat, seeing that the owner is a cat. They know full well that if a cat appears harmless, it's just out to eat them sooner.
But at least she knows: there are mice in the library.

"It's okay, mice," said Hani softly. "I just want to talk."

Spoiler

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Another Affection roll: (1d6x5)[30]

[Trobby]

Unfortunately for Ante, so distraught is she with finding her sister, she does not even realize that there appears to be a floor of spikes beneath her feet, and is far, far too late to catch a hold of the door knob, but not too late to scream in utter panic as soon as she realizes what has happened, and takes a tumble directly into the pit of spikes.

[Atreli]

" By all means then, we should begin there then!"

Lune followed Yuki's gaze up to the kitchen ceiling in a bit of wonder.

" I wonder how we could get up there. Perhaps there is a secret door or ladder somewhere..."

[Deme]

Indecision Central

"We don't have any evidence, so I guess it's all just luck, right? Or...We could check the more dangerous parts, in the hopes we'll be able to ride in dramatically and save the day...Terran will probably stay inside, so we should check the forest."

He began heading towards the outside, having made the decision for her. Of course, on almost all counts, he's...wrong.

---

Upstairs
"...Actually...We have no idea. The library hath an upper floor, but no doors. We've yet to find the staircase that leads up...But its location wouldth most likely have been placed...Not accessable by the kitchen, for the noblemen of that age and their guests would have wished to climben them...So we search...Perhaps the ballroom?"

With this, they'll be scattered pretty much throughout the whole map. Yay operating logically!

----

Of Mice and Men

The mice reappear quickly and gather around...But rather than talk, they squeek. Mice, yes. Talking Mice, No.

But at least they're friendly mice now.

---

Ante x 4 (-1)

Ante takes (1d6)[3] stress...

And as she hits the spike, she reappears at the start of the room. There's something golden and shiny hanging on the other side of the pit. Something calls her to it. There are chains and ropes on this side, and the pit may be jumping.

How good is his platforming skills?

[Trobby]

It doesn't matter so much, as her desire to encounter deadly spikes face-first again is incredibly low.

"...ah, must be a countermeasure to thiefs trying to gain access to the treasury. I shall search another room."

Seeing how unlikely it is that her sister will be on the other side of a spiked pit, she closes the door, and heads to the next room on the right side.

[Hawkflight]

Of Mice and Men

The mice reappear quickly and gather around...But rather than talk, they squeek. Mice, yes. Talking Mice, No.

But at least they're friendly mice now.

Hani looked at the mice confusedly, noticing they weren't talking.

"....You're not talking mice," she said, tilting her head in thought.

[Benson]

Merry-Outside

"Ah....okay," She scrambled a little to keep up with him, her hand still holding onto his furry arm. His logic, made no sense, but she'd go along, for now.

[Lycan 01]

"It seems that the ballroom would be well-constructed in order to appear regal and fancy. I doubt a stairwell would be hidden there. However, if the library has a second floor, then I would not be surprised if there is a secret passage tucked away behind one or more of the bookshelves," Yuki deadpans. "Seriously. Think about it."

[Atreli]

" You have a good point there Ms. Yuki. I think it is a wonderful idea that we search the library. Come let us be on our way!"

Lune turned and began walking to the library. " It's this way, right Mr. Terran?"

Sighing to herself, she them muttered under her breath. " Why do I have a feeling that we'll be searching the ballroom anyway?"

[Deme]

The Three-Group
"...That certainly soundeth likely, by troth..."

Though this would more likely be a secret passage, and inclined not to lead them safely to the upper tower... Still, it was worth a shot.

"Then to the library we shall go."

He led them down the east hallway towards the library.

---
If we want this sequence to continue, this'll be the last chance for Hani to be hidden or move...

No, no they weren't. It wasn't as if a building this big and well-stocked with food wouldn't have normal mice. What now, Hani?

---

Into the Woods

"Though if you think the woods are too dangerous for you, please, don't hesitate...There's some very lovely places there, but... Well..."

They went through the gardens to the entrance of the forest. The trees were green and lush, but the forest seemed very thick.

"I once got lost in there for three days before Terran and Mozart tracked me down."

----
Ante x4

There now appears to be a set of chains crossing the door, with a small lock in the center. They weren't there before. In fact...It seems like the only door open was the one she just went through...

...Including the way back.

[Trobby]

"...A very, very cruel trap...I shall have to speak to Leon about this...and possibly do something about this West Wing...assuming I continue to survive."

With no other path to take, Ante attempts to swing across the chains and cross the great divide, without becoming greatly divided.

Spoiler

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Athletics: (1d6x3)[6]

[Benson]

Into the Woods

"Though if you think the woods are too dangerous for you, please, don't hesitate...There's some very lovely places there, but... Well..."

They went through the gardens to the entrance of the forest. The trees were green and lush, but the forest seemed very thick.

"I once got lost in there for three days before Terran and Mozart tracked me down."

'No..of course not...these woods....feh...children's stuff....play, yea that," She hand waved it off and put up a partial front. Partial, being from hell and all, lots of nasty dangerous places to visit that are considered tourist attractions really.

"We're you ah....afraid when you were lost down there for three days?" She asked.

[Hawkflight]

If we want this sequence to continue, this'll be the last chance for Hani to be hidden or move...

No, no they weren't. It wasn't as if a building this big and well-stocked with food wouldn't have normal mice. What now, Hani?

Hani thought for a moment, then grinned. Clearly, if the talking mice saw her with these mice, they'd be more likely to trust her! With a slight purr, she started to trot off towards where she thought her room was in search of the mice.

Spoiler

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Luck roll: (1d6x2)[12]

[Lycan 01]

As Yuki casually walks alongside Terran, she shifts her gaze over to the butler. "So, are there ghosts? Specters? Demons? Anything else we ought to know about?" she curiously inquires. "An inter-dimensional time squid?"

[Deme]

"In the library? Nay. His Highness and I use the room too often; as a room becomes inhabitated, the other residents oft secedeth it to us. Thou hast noticed, yes? The Kitchen, Dining Room, and His Highness's chambers, for some example...Are normal."

This was not a hard-and-fast rule, but it was true.

"Beyond the library, though...Nothing is certain."

---

Ante x 4

She gets across,


---

"Welll...."

He looked askance, the prince finally off-balance for a moment.

"Perhaps a bit...I mean, this place... I actually met an Antlion here; I was pretty badly hurt."

The woods around them thickened, and it seemed the way out was already lost.

"Ante! Hani! I deeply hope you're not here!"

He called out. What answered was a bird that sounded like a scream.

----

On her way out, Hani nudged a book revealing a secret passage out of the library.

[Trobby]

"Well, I am at least on the other side...now what?"

She takes a look up at the shiny coins. They are so inviting and shiny.

She wonders...if she could just...reach out and...

*take*

[Hawkflight]

On her way out, Hani nudged a book revealing a secret passage out of the library.

"Huh?" Hani looked around, then stood up tall on her tiny kitten legs to see which book she had bumped into to make this happen. Then she turned and made her way down the secret passage.