All of you are teenage students at the prestigious Ohtori Academy, a private boarding school for youngsters who are gifted in one way or another. As we open, it's an absolutely gorgeous sunny afternoon on the campus, which is set high on a hill overlooking a small Japanese seaside town.
It's just about three PM, and you're all finishing your school days, because Ohtori's school days are somewhat more relaxed than the Japanese norm.
Kiyone, you are out on the track, which abuts the acre of forestland owned by the school trust. You've started trying to arrange to practice running alone, because something about scrutiny has begun to bother you. However, when you come around the track, you can see at the back of the bleachers a lone female figure with long, light-colored hair.
* Kita_Kiyone takes a break from her practice to get a drink, and purposely keeps her back to her former friend Althea, ignoring her presence in the bleachers.
Under your water bottle, you find an envelope, sealed with a wax seal bearing the crest of the school, a stylized rose bounded by a circle.
Inside the envelope is a letter.
Aoi, you're in the library. You've been recommended a book by one of the older stoner kids, something about traveling across a distant and romantic land. You hear a rustling sound as you approach the stack, as of someone just leaving the scene.
When you climb up the ladder to retrieve the book, you find that it contains just such a sealed envelope as well.
* Inoki_Aoi , upon reading the letter, folds it carefully and places it into his notebook. He sits still and silent for a long time afterwards.
Kseniya is at the school's olympic-sized pool, supervising the fourth grade class' free swim session. The bell rings and the young swimmers run (in spite of posted instructions) back to the locker room. In your locker, on top of your clothes, a letter with a round, red seal.
* Kseniya_Opasnost holds her goggles in her teeth so she can pop open the seal and read the contents, keeping an eye on the children while she does so.
Max is walking across campus toward the gym. A large crowd of black-uniformed boys parts before him, every one of them trying to imperceptibly move out of your way. No one will make eye contact. Exasperated, you look to the side and see a white rectangle in the crook of a tree, just above everyone else's reach.
* MaxFaust picks it out of the tree, shreds open and scans quickly
* MaxFaust looks around, stuffs it in a pocket and continues to the gym to do one hundred press-ups
Kamiko is in one of the practice rooms with her viola, looking out the window over the broad, flat quardrangles of the campus, filled with students in pairs and groups.
You're playing long, low sounds, just lazily drawing the bow back and forth, just watching. When you go to out your viola back in its case, you find a letter someone has placed there. Probably another admirer.
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko takes the letter out of the case, setting it on the floor next to it, and precisely replaces the instrument, slightly loosening the strings, and very carefully closing the lid before she turns her attention to the envelope.
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko reads the notes carefully, looks around to ensure no one else is watching, and begins to methodically tear the paper into confetti.
<GM> How will you each prepare for this curious appointment?
<MaxFaust> One hundred press-ups
<MaxFaust> Then a shower
<Kseniya_Opasnost> Just heading there, pretty much. Clean clothes and all.
* Kita_Kiyone leaves practice, showers, changes to her after-school clothing and heads for the 6th
floor viewing platform, puzzling over her letter.
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> Is there only one tower with 6 floors?
<GM> There is only one tower, but it has around 20 floors.
* Inoki_Aoi looks up any maps or building schematics for the academy, and peruses the tower area.
<GM> Aoi: The tower is Ohtori's most noticeable feature. Eighteen stories tall (around 300 ft.), the tower has a viewing platform on its sixth story. All floors above five are normally closed to students, the first five being used for administrators' offices. At one point the rest were offices or dormitories for resident teachers, but they were unpopular because of their lack of windows, and are now mostly devoted to longterm storage of Ohtori family heirlooms. The tower is served by a large cargo elevator, improbably worked with decorative wrought iron roses.
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko finds a bench or grassy area beneath a tree near the tower, and watches.
<GM> Kamiko: You see Kiyone, Kseniya, Max, and Aoi walk up the path to the tower.
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko bites her lower lip, and checks her cell phone for the time.
You're all arriving around the same time, perfect for a protracted elevator ride up together.
* Kita_Kiyone notices the others heading towards the elevator as well, and turns her back away from the gaze, quickly folding up the letter and holding it behind her.
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "And *what* are *you* doing here?"
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "I have an appointment upstairs."
<MaxFaust> I don't know. I was... how to say... invited?
<MaxFaust> Summoned.
* MaxFaust pulls an envelope from a jacket pocket, flaps it, and stuffs it away again
* Inoki_Aoi stands at the back, glancing at each person's face in turn, wheels turning in his head.
* Kseniya_Opasnost smiles politely.
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko narrows her eyes, looking from Kseniya to Max.
<Kita_Kiyone> "An... appointment. Yes. That seems like a good way of putting it."
<Kita_Kiyone> "Is there something you know about this, Shimabukuro-sempai?"
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "I know it is forbidden for students to go above the fifth floor."
<Kita_Kiyone> "And yet there is a viewing platform on floor six, sempai.
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "Ohtori is very old, and there is much that lingers, Miss Kita."
<MaxFaust> "It says 6th floor. 4pm."
* MaxFaust checks the time
<MaxFaust> "It is almost 4pm"
<GM> It's 3:57.
The elevator is large enough for you to all choose your own direction to look. It's openwork iron, and the floors you pass create lovely patterns of light and shadow as you ascend. You'd have time for about six lines of speech.
* Kseniya_Opasnost watches the lovely patterns more than the other students.
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko checks her make-up in the mirror of her compact, coincidentally angling it to see what the people behind her are doing.
You all arrive on the viewing platform, a largish semicircle about 50 ft across, bounded by a stone railing.
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko snaps the compact shut, and strides onto the platform, looking for anyone who arrived before the five.
* Inoki_Aoi waits politely for the others to disembark.
There's a small white patio table with a glass top in the center, and five white painted iron chairs.
And...that's weird.
Demi Kurouto is here!
If you've paid any attention to social life in Ohtori, you'll know that Demi Kurouto is infamous for never being involved in any clubs or activities, despite being an attractive and sunny strawberry-blonde.
The only thing any of you have ever seen her doing outside of class is thrusting her hands or a spade deep into the dirt in one of Ohtori's several rose gardens.
She's got her hands clasped in front of her and is smiling brightly at you all.
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "Oh, you're the victim of this prank as well, Kurouto-san?"
<Kurouto_Demi> "Welcome! Please take a seat, if you wish!"
* Kurouto_Demi favours Kamiko with a warm smile.
* Kita_Kiyone walks out, keeping her letter in her hand behind her. Tries to figure out what's going on with Kurouto. The gardening club? No.
* MaxFaust takes a seat first
* Kita_Kiyone bows quietly.
<Kita_Kiyone> "Thank you for the offer, Kurouto-sempai."
* Kseniya_Opasnost sits down. Her letter's tucked away inside her jacket.
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko walks over to the balcony rail, and looks out over the campus.
* Inoki_Aoi sits, notebook on the table, hands folded on top of it.
* Kita_Kiyone takes a seat, facing out towards the east.
* MaxFaust puts the letter on the table
<MaxFaust> "What is this? What is going on here?"
<Kurouto_Demi> "I'm happy to announce that you've all been appointed to the Ohtori Student Council."
<Kita_Kiyone> "Appointed?"
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko turns around as if Demi had said there was a fire.
* MaxFaust nods
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "Student Council?"
<Kurouto_Demi> "The administration has been monitoring your records, and has determined that each of you is a student who is absolutely crucial to the happiness and peace of students here."
* MaxFaust laughs
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "I suppose that's more practical than elections."
* Kurouto_Demi laughs with Max.
* MaxFaust stops laughing
<Kita_Kiyone> "Well, that's... flattering, but what're we expected to do for the school?"
<Kurouto_Demi> "Anything you judge will increase the happiness and peace of the student body."
* Kurouto_Demi stops
<Kurouto_Demi> "And there is one other thing."
<Kurouto_Demi> "Members of the student council are privileged to participate in the dueling game."
* Kurouto_Demi proceeds to the table and takes five white metal rings with red rose crests from her clasped hands, placing them one by one on the table.
* MaxFaust rubs his facial scar
<MaxFaust> "Privileged..."
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "Weapons are forbidden on Ohtori campus."
<Inoki_Aoi> "In this instance, does 'privileged' mean 'allowed', or 'required'?"
* Kurouto_Demi turns to Aoi
<Kurouto_Demi> "We would never force students to participate."
* MaxFaust relaxes a bit
* Inoki_Aoi relaxes a bit
<Kurouto_Demi> "But the rewards of the dueling game are such that no students that I know of have refused."
* Kseniya_Opasnost tilts her head to the side.
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "Can students who have joined the game leave it?"
<Kurouto_Demi> "The ring is a promise, and the rules require the game to be played to its conclusion."
* Kurouto_Demi puts up her hands.
<Kurouto_Demi> "I assure you, it's not harmful! The rules preclude injury or death for participants."
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "Do the rules preclude the violation of the rules?"
* Kurouto_Demi favours Kamiko with a warm smile.
<MaxFaust> "I wonder..."
<MaxFaust> "What are the rewards of the duelling game?"
* Kurouto_Demi opens her eyes wide and looks up into Max.
<Kurouto_Demi> "What do you desire most in the world?"
* MaxFaust falters
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko 's eyes widen.
* Kita_Kiyone glances quickly at Shimabukuro and Faust before returning to Kurouto.
<Kurouto_Demi> "The dueling game is an exercise in self-realization. Participants gain what they desire to become, or to return to."
* Kseniya_Opasnost looks thoughtful.
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "That's quite the promise to make."
<Kita_Kiyone> "Is there someone else privileged to participate in this... game? Or by accepting, are we simply competing with one another?"
* Kurouto_Demi turns to Kiyone, acknowledging a thoughtful question.
<Kurouto_Demi> "The duels are organized by our patron, who chooses to remain anonymous at this time."
<Kurouto_Demi> "You may know him from your letters as 'East of the Sun'."
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "What proof of this do you have? How do we..."
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko falters at the name.
* Kurouto_Demi puts up a hand
<Kurouto_Demi> "I assure you, all will be made clear."
<Kurouto_Demi> "You need not make any decisions until I have shown you the proof."
<Kurouto_Demi> "I must say, however, that self-actualization is not the only goal of the game."
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko whispers to herself, "of course it isn't..."
<Kurouto_Demi> "What we do here, small though it may seem, is an act of revolution."
<Kurouto_Demi> "You have noticed, I trust, that the world is not as it should be?"
<Kurouto_Demi> "Wrong things happen and go unpunished, uncorrected."
<Kita_Kiyone> "It doesn't... work out how we'd wanted, no."
* Kseniya_Opasnost nods along, lips pressed together.
<Kurouto_Demi> "What if we could change this, and return everything to how it should have been?"
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko glares at the floor.
<Kurouto_Demi> "There is another world beyond this one, which we can see from certain angles."
* Kurouto_Demi casts her eyes at Aoi
<Kurouto_Demi> "You may know this world as the one described by Plato, when he spoke of the realm of ideals."
* Inoki_Aoi blinks and his face lights up with recognition
<Kurouto_Demi> "We live in an imperfect time and place, but we can access the world of truth if we are willing and if we are brave."
* MaxFaust straightens
<MaxFaust> "I accept"
* MaxFaust tucks his letter away
* MaxFaust takes one of the rings
* Kurouto_Demi looks at Max with reverence
* Inoki_Aoi wordlessly takes a ring.
<Kurouto_Demi> "The respect you show for the true world is moving indeed."
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "Just like boys to jump at the chance to stick something long into a hole without thinking."
* Kseniya_Opasnost chews the corner of her lip.
* Kseniya_Opasnost takes a ring.
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko shakes her head.
* Kurouto_Demi gathers the remaining rings, and walks to the elevator.
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "Yes, I will see proof before I condone this."
<Kurouto_Demi> "Some require more than others."
<Kurouto_Demi> "Let us go, and see what lies east of the sun."
<Kurouto_Demi> "Please, follow me."
* Kita_Kiyone carefully stands up, still not sure what to make of Kurouto-sempai's pitch.
* Kseniya_Opasnost turns the ring round about between her fingers as she follows Demi.
* Kita_Kiyone whispers as an aside to herself, "Always wondered what was behind here."
* MaxFaust looks around
* Kurouto_Demi unlocks the gate with a key bearing the rose signet
There's a narrow, winding footpath leading in. It's got long grass growing on it, but it seems to have been trodden in years past.
* Kurouto_Demi walks in without hesitation.
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko frowns at Kurouto-san's key, sneers at the overgrown path, but follows her classmate.
* Kseniya_Opasnost follows briskly now, looking around at the trees as she goes.
* MaxFaust looks up at the gate and spikes
* MaxFaust shakes his head and follows
* Inoki_Aoi brings up the rear, stepping carefully.
The woods are quite dense. It's around sunset, and very little light comes through. You walk for a while in silence, save for the birds. Deep in the forest, in what must be the center, there is a large stone fountain. Improbably, it is clear of leaves and debris, and water flows freely from several rose-shaped spouts. In the center of the fountain is a statue of a door, carved in white marble. A short stairway leads up to the door.
* Kita_Kiyone walks towards the fountain, looking on both sides of the door-statue.
<GM> It's just a statue. Both sides appear the same, although the side you approached on has a handle.
* Kurouto_Demi ascends the stair and kneels before the door, clasping her hands and intoning what sounds like a prayer.
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko looks all around, body unusually stiff.
<Kurouto_Demi> "Rose of the noble castle. Please crack the shell of the false world before us."
* Inoki_Aoi scribbles in his notebook.
* Kurouto_Demi wraps both hands around the door handle and pulls.
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "Wh- what?"
* Kseniya_Opasnost leans to one side and then the other, trying to see around the doorway from other angles.
* Kurouto_Demi does not answer you, but proceeds through the doorway and turns around to wait for the rest of you to follow.
<GM> The path is not visible from the other side of the door.
<Kita_Kiyone> "But tha-... it's a magic trick, right? There's mirrors."
* Kita_Kiyone looks towards Shimabukuro, then back at the doorway.
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "y-yes! Mirrors! This is all a cruel prank by Kurouto-san!"
* Kurouto_Demi turns away and proceeds up the staircase.
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "You shouldn't think about how these things work. That ruins them."
* Kseniya_Opasnost follows Demi.
* Kita_Kiyone follows Kseniya. "Hey, w-wait!"
* MaxFaust hangs back
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko goes after Kita and Kseniya without a word or looking at the other two hesitants.
<MaxFaust> "After you..."
<Inoki_Aoi> "...if you insist."
* Inoki_Aoi breathes deep for a second, then walks up the stairs.
* MaxFaust grimaces
<MaxFaust> "Verdammt"
* MaxFaust follows
These are some serious stairs. It's lucky you're all fit high school students, because they seem to go on forever, high up into the sky. You must be at least as high as the tower in the school. When you look up, you can see a dark mass above you, but little else.
* Kseniya_Opasnost is looking more pleased by all this at every additional minute of climbing the impossible staircase.
Finally, you emerge into a high gate, lined with two lanterns.
A vast circular field stands before you, paved with white stone bricks. It's about the width of a football field. Red lines are painted around the edges, and spiral in towards the center in what you surmise must be a rose pattern from above.
This all must be impossible. If a structure like this existed, you would be able to see it from everywhere in the school. You would be able to see it from town. You would probably be able to see it from space. It's not obviously supported by anything. It seems to be hanging here obscenely, ignoring gravity.
* Kseniya_Opasnost stares about in admiration and wonder.
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "Wh- what is this? Where are we?"
* MaxFaust shudders
<Kita_Kiyone> "So.... not mirrors. A dream, maybe? But why would I dream of you four and Kurouto-sempai?"
And then you look up.
A sense of terrible vertigo and fear assaults you.
Above you, hanging down, is a vast fairytale castle suspended upside-down in the air. It's ringed with bright lights and protruding towers. It is far, far larger than the platform you are standing on, and as you watch, it spins gently.
* Kseniya_Opasnost gasps, and clasps her hands together.
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko goes very still and closes her eyes.
* Inoki_Aoi 's busy pen comes to an abrupt halt as his eyes go wide.
* Kurouto_Demi , who has been walking ahead of you, turns back to face you all.
* MaxFaust huffs and puffs
<MaxFaust> "I SAID I was in. This is..."
<MaxFaust> "...unnecessary!"
* MaxFaust storms off
* Kurouto_Demi does not follow him, but addresses the others.
<Kurouto_Demi> "This is the dueling platform, and the castle."
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "It's perfect."
<Kurouto_Demi> "The winner of the duels at the end of the game will ascend to the castle and live in the most perfect world."
<Kurouto_Demi> "But even by fighting to reach this perfection, you stand to revolutionize this world."
<Kurouto_Demi> "By wearing the ring of the Duelists, you pledge to revolutionize the world."
<Kita_Kiyone> "You say that so matter-of-factly, sempai, but th-this is... very strange to take in!"
* Kseniya_Opasnost is starry-eyed.<Kseniya_Opasnost> "I will!"
* Kurouto_Demi beams at Kseniya
<Kurouto_Demi> "You have a pure heart."
<Kurouto_Demi> "I hope you will do your best to win the power that dwells within the castle!"
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko asks, quietly, and without opening her eyes, "To what rules must I pledge?"
<Kurouto_Demi> "The rules of the duel are simple. Each duelist bears a sword, and wears on their breast a rose. The first to have their rose knocked from their breast loses the duel."
* Kita_Kiyone paces, hand to her temple, trying to focus on her fellow students. Either she's in a dream, a fairy tale, or going mad.
<Kurouto_Demi> "This is equivalent to a duel for first blood: no injury should befall either duelist. Of course, if an accident occurs, I am fully trained in first aid."
* Kurouto_Demi smiles
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "Do duels only occur here, or anywhere people in the game meet?"
<Kurouto_Demi> "Only duels fought here, in the dueling grounds, are valid in the game. This is a sacred place."
<Kurouto_Demi> "I, too, am involved in the game; but I am not a duelist."
<Kita_Kiyone> "You're an official?"
<Kurouto_Demi> "I ensure that weapons are equal and place each duelist's rose. And there is another role I play."
<Kurouto_Demi> "I am known as the Rose Bride. Winners of a duel become "engaged" to me, for as long as they continue to win their duels."
<Kurouto_Demi> "In practical terms, I will assist the winners of the duels with the fulfillment of their desires.
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko 's eyes fly open, flashing, "/What/?!"
* Inoki_Aoi blinks again.
<Kita_Kiyone> "So... you're the official /and/ scoring system."
<Inoki_Aoi> "Efficient."
<Kurouto_Demi> "Of course, the language of the game is archaic, before young women were allowed to become duelists."
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "Only the fulfillment of their ultimate desire, though? Not all their desires?"
* Kurouto_Demi shoots a glance at Kamiko
<Kurouto_Demi> "I would be a poor Bride if I didn't help my Engaged One with their worldly needs."
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> This prompts a scowl in the direction of Inoki and Faust.
* Kita_Kiyone goes back to pacing. Madness. Certainly.
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "So long as it's all fair, and it sounds like it is."
<Kurouto_Demi> "I try my best to ensure that it is fair."
<Kurouto_Demi> "It wouldn't be much of an appeal to a more perfect world if it wasn't."
<Kurouto_Demi> "There are a set number of duels in a game, each with their own name and meaning. The winner of the final duel, called 'Revolution', may ascend to the castle."
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "When do the duels begin?"
<Kurouto_Demi> "The time is soon to be right. The first two Duelists will be called in two weeks."
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "What happens if a Duelist is unable to fight?"
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko seems to be relaxing somewhat from her previous ramrod stiff posture earlier.
* Kurouto_Demi looks Kamiko full in the face
<Kurouto_Demi> "A duelist who is impaired will not be called to fight. However, be warned, Kamiko-san, that tampering with the order of duels will not be tolerated, and is punishable by expulsion."
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko's face closes.
<Shimabukuro_Kamiko> "understood"
<Kurouto_Demi> "Now, if you agree to the rules of the game, place the rings on your fingers."
* Kseniya_Opasnost slides hers onto the ring finger of her right hand.
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko takes a ring from Kurouto, and places it firmly on the index finger of her left hand.
* Inoki_Aoi looks up at the castle again, closes his notebook with a snap, and places the ring on his finger.
You hear the gate behind you slam down like a guillotine, and the sound of distant bells.
* Kurouto_Demi raises her hands in a complicated gesture, and her school uniform disappears, replaced by a long, pale peach ballgown.
<Kita_Kiyone> "Game, official, score... I can grasp that." Kiyone takes a ring and places it on the ring finger of her left hand.
* Kurouto_Demi raises both hands to the tallest tower of the castle.
You seem to half-see a figure drifting slowly down. It is unclear if it's real or not--the lights are so bright.
<Kurouto_Demi> "Power of the God that sleeps within me, bless these Duelists with strength and courage. For the sake of the world's revolution!"
Each of you feels warm and strong and solid. Then the light seems to dim, though the castle continues spinning above, and you hear the sound of bells again.
* Kurouto_Demi gathers up her skirts in both hands.
<Kurouto_Demi> "All right, I guess we've got to walk down."
<Kurouto_Demi> "Sometimes I wish this dress wouldn't appear."
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "It's a lovely dress, though."
<Kurouto_Demi> "Thank you, Kseniya. I've always liked it."
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko rubs her thumb on her new ring, and looks into the distance.
<Kurouto_Demi> "It's not very practical, though."
<Kseniya_Opasnost> "I hope the shoes aren't too uncomfortable. There /are/ a lot of stairs."
<Kurouto_Demi> "Well, my school uniform should come back when we pass through the stone door."
* Kurouto_Demi waves to you all when you reach the bottom.
<Kurouto_Demi> "See you soon!"
* Inoki_Aoi waves distractedly. He appears lost in thought.
* Kseniya_Opasnost waves in a friendly manner, and then looks around at the other students.
* Kita_Kiyone steps out through the stone door to the forest clearing. That is still strange.
* Shimabukuro_Kamiko leaves for her living quarters without saying a word.
So the duelists retire to their individual rooms, to dream of what they will change, and to wonder what they have done.
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