Third Field of Fonons [Action/Voice] (Backdated to the 11th)

[yourfononsarewhack]

[Action]

[Once there was a mansion - built on a legacy of oiling, wealth and a pure, sterile family pride. But that was all just a dream. Jade found himself instead standing in an empty plot of land. He kneeled down, pressing his hand against his forehead as he remembered. He remembered everything and everyone he really was. The man who was born as Jade Balfour, who used to scowl at the types of shameless nobles that he had just been living the life of. The first thing he thought of was at least a dozen better tactics that he could have used against Zompano. Then he thought of his true family - his true life - all the damage he had caused. Once again, his greatest and only true weapon - his mind - had been infiltrated and misused by other inhabitants of this world. This was getting to be very frustrating.

And there was more anger burning inside him - familiar to him, but in a way he couldn't quite put his finger on. Either way, he is set to get to the bottom of this. No need to waste time licking his wounds. No time to think about - what Zompano had done to him. And how he had survived...

He spends his time staggering throughout Luceti, where earlier that day there was a whole city and automobiles. As he does so, his red eyes are all the more glaringly obvious sans his glasses. He trudges his way all the way up to Community House 1 - to lock himself in his workshop, and his research. He only lingers outside of Community House 7 - he knows already that Rapunzel lives her. This place had made them family once before after all, but that time was much more bizarre and vaguely remembered. He hesitates, wondering whether or not he should pay a visit. Either way, he eventually makes his way to his workshop in House 1 and is back to his research. He has to piece together exactly what happened. Now that his memory is back, he remembers that first night - the lights on the barrier. To think... they'd truly been invaded.]

[Voice]

[Eventually, he takes out his journal. And mechanically bangs a few pans together into it. Maybe that should snap the fellow inhabitants back into attention. This matter was something that absolutely had to be discussed, after all.]

Rise and shine, everyone. Let's not dawdle on this. I understand that at the moment, most of you must be dealing with something that feels akin to a hangover of a cosmic scale. However, we are all very due for a debriefing. Or, in more layman's terms: let's review what in the blazes just happened.

[ooc: You can consider this a placeholder post of sorts. Feel free to wait until more event stuff plays out before tagging in if that will help - and similarly some of Jade's tags here may be on hold while more of his own event stuff actually plays out.]

Comments

voice,

[elevatoravatar]

"From what I could tell, this place had a dream that it forced upon everyone, though it was not a dream by the usual captors that run this place. Did you dance to the song that was sung, or were you one of the few that was able to see it for the illusion that it was?"

voice,

[yourfononsarewhack]

You seem to understand part of the situation, at the very least. At this age, I can't say that I'm much of a dancer or a singer. However, you can say that I was taken under the illusion for the most part. It's clear that this wasn't the Malnosso's handiwork. We were invaded.

voice,

[elevatoravatar]

"That is not necessarily true. The universe plays its song and we all dance the roles we accept. Most lack the awareness to realize this though and simply fall into roles."

She pauses for a second while pondering.

"I do remember before being overcome by fatigue and awakening in that strange world a large number of strange people walking about just beforehand. I must say though, as I have never been forced into the realm of dreams before the whole ordeal may have skewed my visions of it. All I remember was waking up in a world that was not my own and not this one with evidence of a role I was to play, but no instruction on the role, so I simply watched the ordeal play itself out."

voice,

[yourfononsarewhack]

It still sounds much too physically exhausting for me.

Oh? So you weren't altered at all. Is that what you're saying? [Just like his supposed wife. He wonders what kind of link there is.] And all you did was observe... Is this correct?

voice,

[elevatoravatar]

"As the lie was formed? Yes. Once it was formed I tried to subtly awaken those caught in it, but I do not think that was what you meant in your question."

She taps her chin in thought for a moment and nods.

"Of course, my siblings and I were created to assist our master's guests in seeing through lies so it is possible that had something to do with it."

voice-- and placeholder until we get further, if you want

[tsunderebunny]

An invasion, you say?

[His tone was mild and polite-- the best recourse after everything, even if he was being a horrible snoop.]

...I'm not a military man. How did you come to this conclusion?

[Please, enlighten him. He's not well versed in Luceti's politics yet.]

voice--

[yourfononsarewhack]

That much is evident. [He says sternly of the 'military man' comment. Then he goes on, more business-like.]

It's simple, isn't it? The night before everything changed, there was an unusual phenomenon spotted at the barrier - flashing lights. This was no ordinary experiment of the Malnosso. For one, the Malnosso have no reason to set foot in this enclosure and act as parts in this experiment, themselves. Rather, the enemies were very recognizably Cultists of the Third Party. Once my memories came back, including my memories of facing them during the Draft, it became all to clear that they were in here, acting as parts in the "dream".

voice--

[tsunderebunny]

[Although he was tired and battling through a headache that made him long for a darkened room and a glass of wine, he pulled his focus together and listened carefully while he put together the facts.]

I wasn't aware that there were any flashing lights that night, Mister Curtiss. [It was a rare night when he actually slept.] But, that may have been the point. Anyone knows that you strike the enemy when they're defenseless. My only question is how they managed to put everyone into such a state.

This is only the second incident that I've seen, and the last one wasn't 'standard' either, to my understanding. Perhaps we should hope, and make sure, that this doesn't become a trend.

voice--

[yourfononsarewhack]

That's certainly a good question to ask. In battle, I've seen that the Cultists tend to favor attacks that are direct, brutal and savage. The exception, of course, would be the Dream Shifters. The Dream Shifts themselves seem similar to what we recently experienced, but... I'm not so sure if that would be the correct answer, when it was done on such a massive scale this time.

First the spirits and now the Third Party. Well, at least we're running out of separate entities of this world who would violate us.

voice--

[tsunderebunny]

It does make it interesting, doesn't it?

This incident was also a very organized effort, from the looks of it. They wouldn't have rounded up people who were starting to ask questions or even bother with...alleviating these concerns otherwise. [He shuddered inwardly. There were people who had their minds tampered with twice over the last week, if not more.]

If they're as savage as you say, then this is another pressing problem.

[voice]

[paladinlost]

For over a week, most of the village was affected by a Shift that made them believe they were native to this world, with different families and histories. We were affected by a similar Shift over two years ago; however, this time it was apparently an attempt at a takeover, rather than a regular experiment.

[This time it was also much less pleasant.]

Is that an acceptable starting point for a review?

[voice]

[yourfononsarewhack]

I'd say it's decent enough. [He says with a casual, mildly sarcastic air.] Now, I must admit that I'm curious about this other experiment. Can you think of particular similarities and differences between these two Shifts? If this truly was the Third Party, I find it unusual that they would utilize something so similar to a Malnosso experiment.

[voice]

[paladinlost]

The basics were the same: the villagers were made to believe that they had spent their whole lives here, with different families and abilities. But back then...

[That part is slightly harder to explain properly.]

The atmosphere was different. That other village was a very united community, working together to plan a festival to honor Sir Catherine. And the "families" there were much more chaotic. You had parents that were the same age as their children, relatives that were linked to nearly everyone in the village. There were no additional inhabitants either, only ourselves.

[voice]

[yourfononsarewhack]

It certainly sounds like particularly bizarre mess. [He takes in all the details and thinks them over.]

'Sir Catherine'. Am I correct in assuming that this refers to the former head of the Malnosso known as Catherine? [He'd met him once, at the last draft.] I doubt that he was involved in the invasion, but it's still curious that this time around, those of status were associated with being 'Catherians'. Either way, the primary connection that would come to mind between Catherine and our esteemed Lord Mayor [The latter choice having some sarcasm pumped into it] seems to be an issue of ego.

[voice]

[paladinlost]

You are indeed. He showed himself in public, during that festival, and we were quite happy to see him. I could not tell you why, however; I cannot recall what made him so important at the time.

[Too busy with his kids and his horrible drinks, he was.]

But the fact that both Shifts involved such... devotion from the villagers towards them is more than a little alarming.

voice;

[trashed]

[THAT WAS NOT WHAT HE WANTED TO HEAR WHILE HE WAS GOING THROUGH THINGS.]

Hey! What makes you think anyone would want to cooperate with you after that?!

voice;

[yourfononsarewhack]

[He starts off dryly.]

Ah, Sync. So you're still here.

[And then he goes on in a casual tone.]

If you must know, I can easily provide you with a few reasons. One is that, as unpleasant as my other self may have been, I'm still not the one who caused this entire mess. In a world such as this, most people with properly functioning brains can quickly ascertain that anyone who is not the enemy can be a potential ally, because otherwise true progress will be difficult in this world. But I understand fully that this concept can slip from the grasp of some whose brains are instead wired to live alone amongs foliage that matches their hair color. You'll also find that compared to the man I've been within that gigantic delusion, I'm relatively friendly and docile.

voice;

[trashed]

Friendly and docile.

[Pfffft.] Still, you didn't have to make such a stupidly loud noise.

voice;

[yourfononsarewhack]

Don't you know? I'm practically a harmless old man. [He says with almost a cheery singsong. Then he adds a bit more dryly.] That is, when I'm unprovoked.

[Jade gives a slight sigh.]

I wouldn't consider myself to be particularly loud. Perhaps I could silence myself, but is there anything that you actually have to say, Sync?

voice;

[trashed]

[Practically...AH. There's the catch. Sync does plenty of provoking.]

No. [He just wanted to fuss. And...he's frustrated too because of everything. Not that Jade was a very good target for these frustrations.] Have fun with your stupid debriefing.

voice;

[dedicatednoless]

[fsddgsg; aaaah, in a matter of speaking, it's not the right time for loud noises, Jade! His head is already swimming in noise without the clanking of pans. Ugh--]

There's no time to breathe for anything with you, is there?

voice;

[yourfononsarewhack]

Breathing's overrated, Your Majesty. [It feels comforting, in a way, to slip back into this routine - now that he has memories back. Now that they can be yourselves again.] And in a situation such as this, making sense of things is the best way to determine that the danger is truly past. You remember who you are, correct? [Jade hasn't even checked to see if Peony made it back to the house yet.]

voice;

[dedicatednoless]

[He does remember, but the spell of both his lives and their pros and cons is still hanging over him. He had been happy with Nephry in the false one so it was hard to want to believe his other life was the real one. But all the signs pointed to his real memories making the most logical sense and already enough time has passed for him to have started accepting the facts.

With a defeated breathe outward, it takes him a moment to reply.]

... Yeah, it's starting to come back. [Actually it already had all come back, and what he really meant was that he was beginning to accept his real memories. And after another moment to allow himself to reel in his thoughts, he clarifies a little, with a hint of his true cheerful humor in a mostly tired tone.] I'm the Great Peony of the Malkuth Empire. Though I'm still unsure of what all happened myself.

[In the end, he was separated from everyone one way or another and woke up by the lake's edge to find his memories flooding back. He hadn't made it back to House One yet, no.]

voice;

[yourfononsarewhack]

Is that so? [He wonders if he is hearing the whole story. Regardless, it certainly doesn't sound like he's in the house yet.] It sounds like you're certainly off to a good start. Do you have any idea where you are, currently? [The easiest way to help Peony through this could be in person.]

voice;

[dedicatednoless]

Absolutely none, in a matter of speaking. Anything distinctive like the buildings just got up and vanished, and there's nothing but forest and river. It's almost like arriving for a second time.

[In short, what he means to say in between the lines is, "this sucks". But if one listens carefully they can surmise that Peony is smart enough to follow the river back to Historic Luceti.]