The Grand Entrance

[digisolutions]

[ When you awaken, it's in a bed. But it's not your bed. Someone is hustling and bustling nearby--multiple someones. They seem to be working hard on something. When you awaken, it's in a very clean room, but you're inside. When you finally open your eyes, you're safe in a nice bedroom with five identical girls running around and keeping the place nice and cozy. Yes, that's right, five identical girls running around. For those familiar with it, they could be cosplayers. But they're not. Also, unlike their original design, they have obvious ball joints to make them more puppet-like. What do you guys do? ]

Comments

[lost_child_of_oriande]

[Really the first thing Lotor's confused about is that he's still in his armor in bed, since usually, if one of the locals was going to get him to bed when he fell asleep on his work, they'd wake him up so he could do little things. Like get out of his armor so he wasn't sleeping in it.]

[Also this isn't any variation of a bed in a room he's stayed in, none of the architecture looks quite right for any planet he's been to, and the "girls" have joints that look like a tell for some kind of drone but don't seem made to quite resemble any species he can identify.]

[Come to think of it, he definitely doesn't recognize the species on anyone else there.]

[He's also not sure where his sword is.]

[So: Unfamiliar place, no weapon, no idea how he got there = Bad and Alarming.
No Galra and no sign of anything that looks like Haggar's handiwork = ...Not Awful, Safer Than The Alternatives.]

[He's going with being very cautiously confused.]

...I... beg pardon but where is this and how did I come to be here?

[resolved]

[ This guy. This guy is definitely not human looking. But in the time it took Lotor to take stock, he was quick to put his mask on so nobody could see his face. And slip directly into his usual persona.

Well. He's stuck here as Zero.

May as well act the part. If this guy is some cosplayer, or not, and these girls--whatever is going on, it's probably some kind of drug or hallucinogen, he figures. Something new on the market. Perhaps he's been kidnapped. Or they're some sort of new science experiment. In which case, his identity might be compromised... and he's being used a guinea pig. Great.

His brain flashes back to that moment where Suzaku dragged him before his father. That horrible man. Who rewrote his own son's mind. How he hates him. ... No. He can't risk that again. He cannot forget Nunnally again.

This is business. Find out who did this. Think of solutions. He's got about twenty guesses already, but it's hard to tell one way or the other. ]

A very good question I would also like the answer to! They must have moxie, to steal away the leader of the Black Knights.

[lost_child_of_oriande]

[Sorry Lulu, he saw your face, he just wasn't commenting because his first thought was "???? I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS SPECIES BEFORE?" and you were not exactly registering as threatening or alarming.]

The...Black Knights?

[MORE CONFUSION.]

I'm afraid I've never heard of your - organization before.

[resolved]

[ He waves a hand; the gesture is a bit dramatic. ]

I find that unusual. You can't go very far even in the other zones and not have heard of us. Where are you from? And why the makeup and false ears?

[ Because clearly that's fake, right? ]

[lost_child_of_oriande]

[Well his ears actually kinda lower. Not a droop, but a little like an annoyed cat.]

Honestly, I would question why you would think anyone would try to look half Galra, all things considered.

[He's not saying anything about his supposedly extinct other half the ears came from.]

Apparently I'm from a far enough territory in the Empire to have not heard of your people at all - you know how it goes.

[NOT SAYING WHERE HE'S FROM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LET'S NOT PANIC THE ALREADY ON EDGE RESISTANCE LEADER BY TELLING HIM HE'S SHARING A ROOM WITH THE PRINCE OF THE EMPIRE.]

[resolved]

[ If the word "Galra" hadn't been used, he almost would have made a grave mistake. Fortunately, Lelouch is no idiot; that's not a term he recognizes, and he knows a lot of terms around Britannia and the accompanying zones.

It's foreign to him.

Which means... what, exactly? ]

You're some kind of minority, then? I find it curious you can talk about who you are without using numbers. That takes guts.

[lost_child_of_oriande]

[It’s the lack of recognition of the Galra that does it.]

... Your civilization has not encountered the Galra Empire?

[He’s tilting his head and studying... well, the Zero uniform.].

That would explain why I failed to recognize your species.

[ladieslancer]

[ Meanwhile, Sylvain has been watching this the entire time. Just watching. And finally, he turns with a grin on his face and talks to the fourth person here: Eric. ]

...So if a fight starts, I'll put money on the purple guy to win. This dramatic show-off's too scrawny to take a punch.

i'll have a paid account this time tomorrow, just pretend any icons are of tiny angry eric

[yonosoymaria]

[Oh. Good. Conversation. Something that isn't 98% of his mind screaming that he's been kidnapped and lost the Spear and he's going to die. A distraction. Very good.]

Particularly not from someone overtly not human. He looks like he could dodge, though, I'd put money on him being the first to throw a punch.

I can't get a paid until next month so just deal with life I guess lol

[resolved]

[ He sighs to himself silently.

The peanut gallery, not helping. He needs to take stock. How many have seen his face? ... No, it really is better to ask. ]

I'm afraid I've never heard of it, no. The only Empire my home recognizes is the might of Britannia's near-global dominance. ... And I must ask, just how many of you have seen my face?

[lost_child_of_oriande]

Near global. [Sorry Lulu, you just achieved “OMG THEY’RE TINY AND CUTE AND HELPLESS”.]

Well, if your species has not even left your - homeworld? Solar system? Yet, I don’t think it would matter so much either way, in my case at least.

[ladieslancer]

No idea what Brittania is, sure doesn't sound like it's anywhere near Fódlan. Only Empire I know is the Adrestian Empire. But I did see you have real pretty eyes!

[ Wink! He's definitely flirting. ]

[yonosoymaria]

[Forget trying not to be seen, that's - that's something out of Jules Verne, or one of those magazines Johnny reads - ]

Sir, are you implying that leaving one's planet is the usual trajectory for - the usual path of - the way of things if civilization continues upwards?

[His voice may have hit a level of squeaky cracking that would make Michael J. Fox pause and look askance just now, by which the narratrix means it did.]

PLOT SUDDENLY

[digisolutions]

[ Suddenly, the Sistermon who was previously there comes back and she's carrying rather simple clothes but. They work? ]

This was all I could find.

[ But following her is a few friends. Two more nun-like dolls, this time taller. And with them, a tall bunny-person-thing. ]

You all look lively. Nice to know you woke up.

[ The first one to speak is the nun with the sword. ]

Our Lady has the answers you seek. Turuiemon is here to lead you to them.

[ And then the nun with the guns. ]

So follow me if you actually want to know what's going on. Though I guess Sistermon Ciel or Noir could also drag you if needed. I could, too. But I doubt any of you want that.

[ And finally the rabbit-thing. ]

[resolved]

[ What the actual fuck is going on. He just sort of blankly stares, like this isn't actually happening. This cannot be real right. ]

...

[yonosoymaria]

I'd like to see you try.

[He may not have the Spear, but Eric has too much pride to simply accept being told what to do by something out of a Beatrix Potter nightmare. He's not going to start a fight, but he is bristling.

And withdrawing to the furthest corner of the bed he woke up on.]

[lost_child_of_oriande]

[Well, Lotor is smoothly standing up and stepping forward with a hand out to either block Tureimon from going toward Eric or Eric from lunging. Right now probably the first, but whatever.]

And you can guarantee our safety if we go with you to meet this mistress?

[digisolutions]

If we wanted you hurt, you wouldn't be in the Sistermon Blanc Hospital. But right now, Our Lady wants to talk to all four of you and since you're awake and probably have questions, it's probably the best time for it. But if I have to, I will use force so she doesn't have to repeat herself to a straggler.

[ Don't worry, Turuiemon is not making a move, but just speaking very firmly. ]

[resolved]

[ A pause, and he steps forward. ]

... Of course. If this is a hospital, we'll be treated fairly, won't we? It would reflect poorly on your leader if any of us were hurt.

[ Planning to mash betray ASAP? Sure is. ]

Fine. Take me to her. You all can stay here, but you cannot assess the situation unless you know the scope of it, you realize.

[yonosoymaria]

More hands on the elephant, that's the saying, isn't it? You shouldn't go alone. [And then, to the... irascible rabbit creature....] If we've really no choice, lead on.

[There's a vague sense that the last words ought to have been in something not the common tongue everyone is used to, but a language more comfortable than English for this boy.

By which I mean he lapses into Spanish when he gets pissed off, canon was written by cowards who didn't want to put the work in.]

[lost_child_of_oriande]

[Lotor at least relaxes at that, although he is...staying kinda close to Eric to keep an eye on him.]

I do not believe force will be necessary.

[He's actually more charitable than Lelouch here, in that his assessment of the likely reasons includes possibilities that are NOT horrible.]

[digisolutions]

Okay. Ciel, Noir, keep this place safe.

We will.

[ and then he turns to lead the way out. Where they exit is... It's a foresty village, that seems to be hidden among the trees. And not too far is a giant tree that seems to have been converted into a castle almost. ]

That's where we're headed. My Lady will be there, so if we for any reason get split up, head for there.

[resolved]

[ Following, following. But he's trying to memorize the terrain, just in case. ]

...

[lost_child_of_oriande]

[Lotor is following, with his attention between trying to get an idea of the local inhabitants and ... a little bit still keeping an eye on Eric in case he needs to scruff the kitten.]

[yonosoymaria]

[ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY I'M TOO SMALL TO FIGHT, CABRON -

is what he'd say if he wasn't desperately trying to seem Adult and Aloof and Not Unsettled Even A Little Bit. As it is, he keeps his mouth shut and wishes fervently that it wasn't so visible when he blushed. He can read that body language, and knows why this... being... is hovering by him. It's mortifying.]