onceuponacomm | Prologue

PROLOGUE

The clink of glasses, the clatter of utensils upon plates and the soft murmur of conversation flows smoothly in the warmly lit dining hall. It's a dinner party, a rather vivacious one at that, with the food flowing freely. Savory and sweet, regional specialties, refined and rustic, there's something for everyone. Omurice, chiffon cake, kimchi, sizzling porterhouse steaks—it might be more apt to call it a buffet than anything else.

Do buffets usually serve such a unique smorgasbord of food? And actually, weren't you doing something else? A free meal is usually a good thing but is anything truly free? Who are these people around you? And where exactly are you?

Whatever thoughts are racing through your mind, they're abruptly cut off by a note, high pitched G-sharp from a woodwind. All your senses return to you, though they won't tell you much. Maybe not all of them actually, if you're used to feats of heroic strength or manipulating reality or numerous other abilities. There is one clue at least, a heavy weighted paper beneath your plate, an embossed note rather than a list of courses.

"Enjoy yourselves. I'll come see you when you've had your fill. And don't try to dine and dash, huh? There's something I have—something I can do for you, after all. Besides, you've already agreed to the terms anyway!"

Welcome to your Fairy Tale.

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The welcome banquet already seemed to indicate as much.

[ McGillis is just coming from his own nameplate a few doors down, displeased by these findings entirely. ]

At least this proves that they didn't pick us at random - clearly they were prepared for us as individuals.

The notecards at the banquet seemed to imply that we came here willingly... Which I believe likewise implies that our presence isn't random, regardless of whether the initial selection was.

[So like. Good to know we're all on the same page, he supposes.]

I can't say I know what they would have offered me, however, to get me to agree to anything.

I wouldn't know either and that's precisely why I wagered it might be a bluff - especially considering all our cards read identically.

[ Some kind of fucked up power play to make them believe their captor knows more about them than they actually do... Well, it was a pipe dream to start with. Would've made him feel better though. ]

Unfortunately, I was wrong. I can confirm that McGillis Fareed is my name and a room was prepared for me.

Unfortunate indeed. I haven't begun to form my own opinions on the matter, but that's primarily due to not having enough to work with one way or another.

[Better to not get married to any one theory just yet, more or less.]

Alexei Dinoia. I would claim it a pleasure, but the circumstances are hardly ideal.

The dubious pleasure is all mine. We're just going to have to make the best out of these encounters.

[ No use bemoaning that he'd rather not have met any of these people. Improvise, adapt, overcome, and all that jazz. ]

I'm afraid I can't help theory-crafting as I go, but you're right that it's best to not jump to conclusions. In the end, this situation is shamefully out of my paygrade.

[That's a fucking mood and a half.]

I imagine it would be somewhat more of a cause for concern if it weren't, to be fair.

It would contest a whole lot of things we're taking for granted in our perception of reality, true.

[ Like "you cannot teleport people into the middle of a banquet, suddenly" and "giant human sized birds are more commonplace than ever thought". ]

But I can't deny, I would like having an expert around.

Seeing as I imagine the most immediate for whom this isn't above their paygrade would be those that brought us here, I'd like to think that one among our number wouldn't be cause for whatever blood and screaming is about to ensue.

[He wants to believe there won't be blood and screaming, but he's fairly sure there will be eventual blood and screaming.]

I doubt we've been brought here for any sort of pleasant purpose, after all. Charming though our accommodations may be.

Oh, absolutely. "You've already agreed to the terms" is not encouraging wording in the slightest. Whatever favor they claim to have for us won't come free.

[ But a lot of 'favors' come at steep prices, that is not inherently unusual. McGillis' smile is sharp around the edges, he's clearly got some experience with such unfortunate dealings. ]

I'm rather curious what they think they can do for us at all, though.

Likewise. I'm not one to agree to abstract favors lightly, if I agree at all - nothing good tends to come of such things.

Wise. As beautiful as it is in stories, little is achieved by wishing on a shooting star.

[ But this seems... a lot more concrete than a superstition, considering they are, well, here. ]

I'm sure out captors have a bit more power than that at least, but making a kidnapping like this worth our while will take quite a bit.

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