OldTurtle
Shells Are Nice
"My name is not Purple," Purple pouted angrily. The fanciful girl drew herself up to her full height and posed dramatically. "My name is... Violetta Shadowheart!" She looked entirely too proud of her self-introduction, Adrian decided. It was truly amazing how confidently she was able to present herself in public, though with how few people actually remained within the building, the coffee shop barely qualified as 'public'.
Violetta's prideful expression was as quick to vanish as it was to appear, leaving in its wake a dissatisfied frown as the small girl examined Adrian with a penetrating stare. Adrian shifted his weight from one foot to the other in discomfort under her scrutinization. Finally returning her gaze to his face, Violetta shook her head in yet another show of dissatisfaction.
“No, no. Now, I understand how enthusiastic you are to attend the party. But what you are wearing right now is no good, no good at all!" She arbitrarily declared. "We must dress you up! Now, follow me, our long lost demon prince!”
Violetta's intricate dress came to life as she spoke, its long laces rising up as if animated by a mind of their own and wrapping around Adrian's arm, to his growing horror. The tight bonds were unyielding as the pair departed the coffee shop, Violetta in the lead and Adrian dragged along like a piece of luggage. The lunatic now had him in a veritable handcuff, he realized. Well, if nothing else, this confirmed his suspicion that Violetta was not a normal person - Adrian was willing to bet that most people in Lumen couldn't use their clothing to magically bind others.
The duo made for quite the sight as they passed through the streets, though with how quickly they moved, Adrian couldn't gauge the reactions of the people they passed. Hopefully that meant the crowds didn't have time to recognize him either. Given his track record with luck lately, however, it was far more likely that several dozen pedestrians had attained high-definition videos of him and his captor. Adrian sighed hopelessly and resigned himself to being pulled by the arm to whatever destination Violetta had in mind.
Said destination became clear when the girl stepped into a large clothing store. She had mentioned something about Adrian's clothes, hadn't she? It became increasingly obvious that Violetta intended for a full reoutfitting as the two busted throughout the building, her searching through the clothes on display for something that suited her tastes - which, if her own lacy outfit was any indication, would likely not suit Adrian's preferences - and him in tow. In truth, Adrian was in dire need of more clothes and might've appreciated the opportunity to shop had he been accompanied by anyone except for Violetta. As it were, he felt entirely too pressured by her and the hanging threat of the Faciete to pay much attention to shopping.
In the end, Violetta settled on a set of clothes - something white and red, neither of which were colors he particularly preferred - and thrust Adrian bodily into a nearby dressing room. Inside the enclosed space, he held out his companion's chosen outfit and gawked in disbelief. It was worse than anything he'd ever thought possible. Frilled, ostentatious, and downright horrifying, the highly-decorated suit was perhaps even showier than Violetta's dress. She couldn't possibly expect him to wear this gaudy monstrosity, right? No, not only did she expect that, Violetta expected the clothes to actually suit him. Truly a lunatic of the highest order. Adrian was truly astounded that she hadn't been incarcerated at an asylum yet.
Despite his grievances, Adrian changed into the outfit and examined his appearance in the full length mirror within the dressing room. The suit had somehow managed to become even more ridiculous, especially with the addition of the strange, wing-like cloak. Heaving another despondent sigh - it was far from his first of the day and Adrian suspected that it wouldn't be the last either - Adrian equipped the crown jewel of the garish display: a tall, red hat that, while extravagant in its own right, was infinitely simpler in comparison to the suit.
Upon exiting the dressing room and presenting himself despairingly, Violetta - no, Purple, Adrian spitefully renamed her - squealed excitedly and seized him by the hand. Adrian flinched as her grip closed around his still-gloved palm and resumed their journey.
“We must get you a masquerade mask!” Purple made yet another unilateral decision. Adrian, having already surpassed his capability to care, took the announcement in stride. A mask would, at least, obscure his identity slightly. Unfortunately, he was afforded no such protection until he had a mask and as the two made their way to a masquerade mask store, Adrian was acutely aware of the stares of the crowds he passed. The boy flushed lightly and quickened his pace until he walked beside Purple. Not quickly enough, they arrived at the shop, a location that his companion seemed to be familiar with. She moved through the store swiftly, quickly picking out two masquerade masks, one for Adrian and the other for herself.
With both flamboyant outfits completed, Purple led Adrian outside and around the masquerade mask shop into a dark alleyway. Adrian glanced around nervously at the isolated area. Was this where he would be ambushed, brought to an undignified end after being yanked around like a puppet by its strings? Instead of being jumped by some unsavory individual, he was instead led to the end of the path, where a small, wooden door was set into the wall.
“This thing only works one time, so make sure we go in together!” Purple stepped towards the door. Was this really the entrance to the mysterious Faciete's meeting? Adrian cast a doubtful glance at his surroundings and Purple busied herself with the door. It made some sense that the entrance would be well-disguised and a tiny door in some dark corner was certainly among the least conspicuous locations they could've chosen, but he still felt... disappointed. All this buildup, all this preparation, only to be led into a dingy alleyway as his companion struggled to open a single door - and she was struggling, having given up attempts to open the door normally and now trying whatever came to mind. Adrian turned his doubt towards her.
Did 'Violetta Shadowheart' know what she was doing? Adrian had operated under the assumption that she was associated with the Faciete and could act as some sort of shield. However, between the strange detours and her clear lack of knowledge here, he was beginning to question her utility. Tapping his foot against the hard, concrete ground, Adrian resisted his growing impatience. It was far too late to question her now.
Thankfully, it appeared his faith wasn't completely misplaced as, with a flourish, Purple slapped her invitation agains the surface of the door, unlocking it with a quiet click.
“Good bless!' She crowed. "Darkness has accepted me once more!”
Adrian rolled his eyes with another sigh and approached the now-open door. Beyond it lay yet another pathway, this one darker and more foreboding than the comparatively heavenly alleyway. This was clearly Purple's intended result and she stepped past the door with Adrian following after a brief, hesitant pause. As the door shut behind the pair and their only source of light became the series of candles set into the wall, he followed Purple closely through the cramped, twisted tunnel. Eventually, the tunnel expanded enough for him to walk beside her. Soon after, the tunnel came to an abrupt end before another set of doors, these ones much larger and opulent than the previous one.
This was their true destination, Adrian recognized. He stood before the imposing entrance and felt sick. He'd avoided thinking too much about the danger he was putting himself in but now he was forced to confront it. Had Kiyoshi received his message? Were the others already on the way? How much longer would they take? Were they even capable of finding him? Completely ignorant of Adrian's growing inner turmoil, Purple reached out towards the large doorknob.
"You ready?"
No. Not at all. In fact, Adrian was the opposite of ready. He was so not ready he had half a mind to turn around and leave. Purple, on the other hand, was all too eager to make her entrance and made to push open the doors before he could respond. Well, nothing to be done about it now, he decided. Straightening out his suit and ensuring that his mask was affixed properly, Adrian stepped past the threshold into the large chamber beyond.
The party was... well, a party. While Adrian had expected some sort of clandestine, underground meeting, the spacious, well-lit room was filled with amiable chatter and quiet music. Between the pristinely white tablecloths, sparkling chandeliers, glimmering crystal, and elaborate outfits, the environment reeked of wealth and Adrian couldn't have felt more out of place. Though, he realized as a tall man wearing a similarly-intricate suit passed by without a glance, he certainly looked as if he fit in. Purple had, miraculously, picked clothes that were so showy it matched those worn by the other attendees. Had he appeared in his previous outfit, Adrian felt as if he would've stuck out like a sore thumb.
Perhaps Adrian should... thank Violetta. She had helped him, after all, despite how little he enjoyed it. Begrudgingly, he turned towards his short companion only to come face to face with an empty space. Startled, Adrian wheeled around and searched the room for Violetta to no avail. That absolute, piece of- Adrian bit back an angry snarl. No, it wasn't as if he had asked Purple to stay by his side so it was his fault that he'd lost his only shield, ignorant as she was of her purpose to him. Gathering as much composure as he could, Adrian began to move languidly though the crowd, examining the appearances of those he passed. The boy recognized no one, though he likely wouldn't have been able to pick his own mother out of the crowd with the intricate masquerade masks obscuring much of their facial features.
The overhead lights began to dim and the sounds of music and chatter gave way to a quiet pressure. The lights surrounding a large stage at the other end of the room began to shine and an old man stepped out into their illumination. Restrained applause broke out among the gathered crowd upon his appearance and Adrian followed their example, clapping lightly as the man strode across the stage.
"Good afternoon, my friends. I'd like to take this opportunity to humbly express my gratitude, both for your attendance today, and for appointing me as leader of our organization."
So this was the head of the Faciete. The aged man certainly didn't look as if he were the head of a criminal organization, but very few of Adrian's expectations had been met so far. Adrian flinched as a warm hand came down upon his shoulder, distracting him from the man and his speech.
"Hello. Adrian, yes?" The speaker was a masked woman clad in a dress the same color as her dark tresses. She spoke so quietly her words barely reached Adrian's ears and were most likely completely inaudible to those around them. "You can call me Iris. I'm sorry that my sister left you here, but she'll be right back. His name is Gustav D. Altergott. He was elected as the new leader of the Faciete after the previous one stepped down. Everyone here is in support of him. Well, almost everyone."
Sister- Well, that was a surprise, indeed. Adrian eyed the older girl suspiciously. While Violetta and Iris certainly looked similar, their mannerisms couldn't have been more different. Regardless, she was a breath of fresh air after the typhoon that was her sister. An incredibly untrustworthy breath of fresh air, of course. Adrian pasted a thin smile across his face.
"Pleasure to meet you," he responded, adopting the same hushed tone Iris used. The conversation lapsed as the man on the stage - Altergott - continued with his speech.
"I would like to clarify that despite my new title, I am fully committed to continue working alongside you in pursuit of our shared goal. Indeed, our shared goal, the path that will lead us to true salvation... Many of our brothers and sisters still believe that we have strayed from Faciete's original ideals, but our purpose has ever been to free us all from the doom and destruction that lay ahead of us. Is that not the case?" The gathering of Faciete members appeared to agree with his words and a quiet murmur of assent rippled through the crowd.
"Keep in mind, I do not mean to antagonize them. After all, despite our conflicting viewpoints on how to move forward, all of us are striving for salvation. We who have gathered here today have found a new way to forge forward, and they simply have yet to open their eyes to the results that we have produced. Many of you likely still remember the incident that occurred at Fangen Theater two years ago. Years of research and experimentation, and our tireless labor bore fruit. We were able to take the Otherworlder, Rei Fey, under our wing with the energy released from the Lux that we've procured. What followed was an unfortunate twist of event that led to his death, and that of several of his peers who could have become our stalwart allies. The Vehemen Hunters Association..."
W-What? Otherworlder? That name was completely unfamiliar, but Adrian knew he had heard correctly. He'd never heard anything about another Otherworlder, much less several that died. But then again... it hadn't always made sense that Cleo, Elise, and Jun made up the entirety of the second generation. No, not with how much hostility was leveled their direction. Even in comparison to the third generation, there were far too few of them, a fact that concurred with what Altergott was saying. Stupefied, Adrian watched on in silence as the old man continued.
"We were painted as the villains after the incident. I concede, the destruction had not been within our predictions, but the power produced by Rei Fey is testament to the feasibility of our plans. And my friends, fortune smiles upon us once more. A new generation of Otherworlders has descended upon Lumen. I can sense their raw potential. With their prowess and our knowledge of Lux and Poex, each and every single one of these new Otherworlders has the ability to become the new Rei Fey and aid us in our ambition. It is my wish that you, my brothers and sisters, will walk alongside me as we see our vision fulfilled in the near future."
Suddenly, Adrian felt cornered. The crowd began to applaud and he joined in numbly. Nothing had changed about the situation - he had been mired in danger the moment he passed the threshold - but Adrian broke out into a cold sweat. As unassuming as Altergott's words had been, he severely doubted that Rei Fey's fate had been nothing more than a misfortunate accident. One thing was clear, however; the Faciete wanted Otherworlders and here one was, right in their midst. It had been a mistake to come. Even though none of the other attendees paid him any more attention than they had before Altergott's speech, Adrian found himself wondering if they'd recognize him at any moment. He was thankful for the masquerade mask's security, paltry as it was.
"That speech must have sounded confusing to you. Everyone here is privy to the plans that Gustav was talking about, so he probably didn't see the need to elaborate," Iris spoke up from beside Adrian. "We can't keep you here for long, so I'll try to explain what I can. But tell me, what did you think or understand about what Gustav said?" That's right, there was still someone who knew who he was. Adrian tugged nervously at the ends of his gloves. Schooling his expression into a fragile facade of calmness, he turned to face Iris.
"As far as I can tell," he sighed. "There's some kind of impending cataclysm that you're trying to stop and in order to do that, you - or rather, Gustav D. Altergott's Faciete - are trying to obtain the skills of Otherworlders like myself." Adrian chuckled dryly and brushed a stray strand of hair aside. "I've only got two questions. One, what exactly does Altergott want from us? Something as vague as 'power' or 'strength' means nothing to me." He paused and narrowed his eyes at Iris. "And two, you mentioned earlier that Altergott has the support of almost everyone here. Where do you stand on this grand plan of his?"
Violetta's prideful expression was as quick to vanish as it was to appear, leaving in its wake a dissatisfied frown as the small girl examined Adrian with a penetrating stare. Adrian shifted his weight from one foot to the other in discomfort under her scrutinization. Finally returning her gaze to his face, Violetta shook her head in yet another show of dissatisfaction.
“No, no. Now, I understand how enthusiastic you are to attend the party. But what you are wearing right now is no good, no good at all!" She arbitrarily declared. "We must dress you up! Now, follow me, our long lost demon prince!”
Violetta's intricate dress came to life as she spoke, its long laces rising up as if animated by a mind of their own and wrapping around Adrian's arm, to his growing horror. The tight bonds were unyielding as the pair departed the coffee shop, Violetta in the lead and Adrian dragged along like a piece of luggage. The lunatic now had him in a veritable handcuff, he realized. Well, if nothing else, this confirmed his suspicion that Violetta was not a normal person - Adrian was willing to bet that most people in Lumen couldn't use their clothing to magically bind others.
The duo made for quite the sight as they passed through the streets, though with how quickly they moved, Adrian couldn't gauge the reactions of the people they passed. Hopefully that meant the crowds didn't have time to recognize him either. Given his track record with luck lately, however, it was far more likely that several dozen pedestrians had attained high-definition videos of him and his captor. Adrian sighed hopelessly and resigned himself to being pulled by the arm to whatever destination Violetta had in mind.
Said destination became clear when the girl stepped into a large clothing store. She had mentioned something about Adrian's clothes, hadn't she? It became increasingly obvious that Violetta intended for a full reoutfitting as the two busted throughout the building, her searching through the clothes on display for something that suited her tastes - which, if her own lacy outfit was any indication, would likely not suit Adrian's preferences - and him in tow. In truth, Adrian was in dire need of more clothes and might've appreciated the opportunity to shop had he been accompanied by anyone except for Violetta. As it were, he felt entirely too pressured by her and the hanging threat of the Faciete to pay much attention to shopping.
In the end, Violetta settled on a set of clothes - something white and red, neither of which were colors he particularly preferred - and thrust Adrian bodily into a nearby dressing room. Inside the enclosed space, he held out his companion's chosen outfit and gawked in disbelief. It was worse than anything he'd ever thought possible. Frilled, ostentatious, and downright horrifying, the highly-decorated suit was perhaps even showier than Violetta's dress. She couldn't possibly expect him to wear this gaudy monstrosity, right? No, not only did she expect that, Violetta expected the clothes to actually suit him. Truly a lunatic of the highest order. Adrian was truly astounded that she hadn't been incarcerated at an asylum yet.
Despite his grievances, Adrian changed into the outfit and examined his appearance in the full length mirror within the dressing room. The suit had somehow managed to become even more ridiculous, especially with the addition of the strange, wing-like cloak. Heaving another despondent sigh - it was far from his first of the day and Adrian suspected that it wouldn't be the last either - Adrian equipped the crown jewel of the garish display: a tall, red hat that, while extravagant in its own right, was infinitely simpler in comparison to the suit.
Upon exiting the dressing room and presenting himself despairingly, Violetta - no, Purple, Adrian spitefully renamed her - squealed excitedly and seized him by the hand. Adrian flinched as her grip closed around his still-gloved palm and resumed their journey.
“We must get you a masquerade mask!” Purple made yet another unilateral decision. Adrian, having already surpassed his capability to care, took the announcement in stride. A mask would, at least, obscure his identity slightly. Unfortunately, he was afforded no such protection until he had a mask and as the two made their way to a masquerade mask store, Adrian was acutely aware of the stares of the crowds he passed. The boy flushed lightly and quickened his pace until he walked beside Purple. Not quickly enough, they arrived at the shop, a location that his companion seemed to be familiar with. She moved through the store swiftly, quickly picking out two masquerade masks, one for Adrian and the other for herself.
With both flamboyant outfits completed, Purple led Adrian outside and around the masquerade mask shop into a dark alleyway. Adrian glanced around nervously at the isolated area. Was this where he would be ambushed, brought to an undignified end after being yanked around like a puppet by its strings? Instead of being jumped by some unsavory individual, he was instead led to the end of the path, where a small, wooden door was set into the wall.
“This thing only works one time, so make sure we go in together!” Purple stepped towards the door. Was this really the entrance to the mysterious Faciete's meeting? Adrian cast a doubtful glance at his surroundings and Purple busied herself with the door. It made some sense that the entrance would be well-disguised and a tiny door in some dark corner was certainly among the least conspicuous locations they could've chosen, but he still felt... disappointed. All this buildup, all this preparation, only to be led into a dingy alleyway as his companion struggled to open a single door - and she was struggling, having given up attempts to open the door normally and now trying whatever came to mind. Adrian turned his doubt towards her.
Did 'Violetta Shadowheart' know what she was doing? Adrian had operated under the assumption that she was associated with the Faciete and could act as some sort of shield. However, between the strange detours and her clear lack of knowledge here, he was beginning to question her utility. Tapping his foot against the hard, concrete ground, Adrian resisted his growing impatience. It was far too late to question her now.
Thankfully, it appeared his faith wasn't completely misplaced as, with a flourish, Purple slapped her invitation agains the surface of the door, unlocking it with a quiet click.
“Good bless!' She crowed. "Darkness has accepted me once more!”
Adrian rolled his eyes with another sigh and approached the now-open door. Beyond it lay yet another pathway, this one darker and more foreboding than the comparatively heavenly alleyway. This was clearly Purple's intended result and she stepped past the door with Adrian following after a brief, hesitant pause. As the door shut behind the pair and their only source of light became the series of candles set into the wall, he followed Purple closely through the cramped, twisted tunnel. Eventually, the tunnel expanded enough for him to walk beside her. Soon after, the tunnel came to an abrupt end before another set of doors, these ones much larger and opulent than the previous one.
This was their true destination, Adrian recognized. He stood before the imposing entrance and felt sick. He'd avoided thinking too much about the danger he was putting himself in but now he was forced to confront it. Had Kiyoshi received his message? Were the others already on the way? How much longer would they take? Were they even capable of finding him? Completely ignorant of Adrian's growing inner turmoil, Purple reached out towards the large doorknob.
"You ready?"
No. Not at all. In fact, Adrian was the opposite of ready. He was so not ready he had half a mind to turn around and leave. Purple, on the other hand, was all too eager to make her entrance and made to push open the doors before he could respond. Well, nothing to be done about it now, he decided. Straightening out his suit and ensuring that his mask was affixed properly, Adrian stepped past the threshold into the large chamber beyond.
The party was... well, a party. While Adrian had expected some sort of clandestine, underground meeting, the spacious, well-lit room was filled with amiable chatter and quiet music. Between the pristinely white tablecloths, sparkling chandeliers, glimmering crystal, and elaborate outfits, the environment reeked of wealth and Adrian couldn't have felt more out of place. Though, he realized as a tall man wearing a similarly-intricate suit passed by without a glance, he certainly looked as if he fit in. Purple had, miraculously, picked clothes that were so showy it matched those worn by the other attendees. Had he appeared in his previous outfit, Adrian felt as if he would've stuck out like a sore thumb.
Perhaps Adrian should... thank Violetta. She had helped him, after all, despite how little he enjoyed it. Begrudgingly, he turned towards his short companion only to come face to face with an empty space. Startled, Adrian wheeled around and searched the room for Violetta to no avail. That absolute, piece of- Adrian bit back an angry snarl. No, it wasn't as if he had asked Purple to stay by his side so it was his fault that he'd lost his only shield, ignorant as she was of her purpose to him. Gathering as much composure as he could, Adrian began to move languidly though the crowd, examining the appearances of those he passed. The boy recognized no one, though he likely wouldn't have been able to pick his own mother out of the crowd with the intricate masquerade masks obscuring much of their facial features.
The overhead lights began to dim and the sounds of music and chatter gave way to a quiet pressure. The lights surrounding a large stage at the other end of the room began to shine and an old man stepped out into their illumination. Restrained applause broke out among the gathered crowd upon his appearance and Adrian followed their example, clapping lightly as the man strode across the stage.
"Good afternoon, my friends. I'd like to take this opportunity to humbly express my gratitude, both for your attendance today, and for appointing me as leader of our organization."
So this was the head of the Faciete. The aged man certainly didn't look as if he were the head of a criminal organization, but very few of Adrian's expectations had been met so far. Adrian flinched as a warm hand came down upon his shoulder, distracting him from the man and his speech.
"Hello. Adrian, yes?" The speaker was a masked woman clad in a dress the same color as her dark tresses. She spoke so quietly her words barely reached Adrian's ears and were most likely completely inaudible to those around them. "You can call me Iris. I'm sorry that my sister left you here, but she'll be right back. His name is Gustav D. Altergott. He was elected as the new leader of the Faciete after the previous one stepped down. Everyone here is in support of him. Well, almost everyone."
Sister- Well, that was a surprise, indeed. Adrian eyed the older girl suspiciously. While Violetta and Iris certainly looked similar, their mannerisms couldn't have been more different. Regardless, she was a breath of fresh air after the typhoon that was her sister. An incredibly untrustworthy breath of fresh air, of course. Adrian pasted a thin smile across his face.
"Pleasure to meet you," he responded, adopting the same hushed tone Iris used. The conversation lapsed as the man on the stage - Altergott - continued with his speech.
"I would like to clarify that despite my new title, I am fully committed to continue working alongside you in pursuit of our shared goal. Indeed, our shared goal, the path that will lead us to true salvation... Many of our brothers and sisters still believe that we have strayed from Faciete's original ideals, but our purpose has ever been to free us all from the doom and destruction that lay ahead of us. Is that not the case?" The gathering of Faciete members appeared to agree with his words and a quiet murmur of assent rippled through the crowd.
"Keep in mind, I do not mean to antagonize them. After all, despite our conflicting viewpoints on how to move forward, all of us are striving for salvation. We who have gathered here today have found a new way to forge forward, and they simply have yet to open their eyes to the results that we have produced. Many of you likely still remember the incident that occurred at Fangen Theater two years ago. Years of research and experimentation, and our tireless labor bore fruit. We were able to take the Otherworlder, Rei Fey, under our wing with the energy released from the Lux that we've procured. What followed was an unfortunate twist of event that led to his death, and that of several of his peers who could have become our stalwart allies. The Vehemen Hunters Association..."
W-What? Otherworlder? That name was completely unfamiliar, but Adrian knew he had heard correctly. He'd never heard anything about another Otherworlder, much less several that died. But then again... it hadn't always made sense that Cleo, Elise, and Jun made up the entirety of the second generation. No, not with how much hostility was leveled their direction. Even in comparison to the third generation, there were far too few of them, a fact that concurred with what Altergott was saying. Stupefied, Adrian watched on in silence as the old man continued.
"We were painted as the villains after the incident. I concede, the destruction had not been within our predictions, but the power produced by Rei Fey is testament to the feasibility of our plans. And my friends, fortune smiles upon us once more. A new generation of Otherworlders has descended upon Lumen. I can sense their raw potential. With their prowess and our knowledge of Lux and Poex, each and every single one of these new Otherworlders has the ability to become the new Rei Fey and aid us in our ambition. It is my wish that you, my brothers and sisters, will walk alongside me as we see our vision fulfilled in the near future."
Suddenly, Adrian felt cornered. The crowd began to applaud and he joined in numbly. Nothing had changed about the situation - he had been mired in danger the moment he passed the threshold - but Adrian broke out into a cold sweat. As unassuming as Altergott's words had been, he severely doubted that Rei Fey's fate had been nothing more than a misfortunate accident. One thing was clear, however; the Faciete wanted Otherworlders and here one was, right in their midst. It had been a mistake to come. Even though none of the other attendees paid him any more attention than they had before Altergott's speech, Adrian found himself wondering if they'd recognize him at any moment. He was thankful for the masquerade mask's security, paltry as it was.
"That speech must have sounded confusing to you. Everyone here is privy to the plans that Gustav was talking about, so he probably didn't see the need to elaborate," Iris spoke up from beside Adrian. "We can't keep you here for long, so I'll try to explain what I can. But tell me, what did you think or understand about what Gustav said?" That's right, there was still someone who knew who he was. Adrian tugged nervously at the ends of his gloves. Schooling his expression into a fragile facade of calmness, he turned to face Iris.
"As far as I can tell," he sighed. "There's some kind of impending cataclysm that you're trying to stop and in order to do that, you - or rather, Gustav D. Altergott's Faciete - are trying to obtain the skills of Otherworlders like myself." Adrian chuckled dryly and brushed a stray strand of hair aside. "I've only got two questions. One, what exactly does Altergott want from us? Something as vague as 'power' or 'strength' means nothing to me." He paused and narrowed his eyes at Iris. "And two, you mentioned earlier that Altergott has the support of almost everyone here. Where do you stand on this grand plan of his?"
