video;

[graphis]

[A young woman's face appears, framed by bright red hair, her green eyes both confused and tinted with anger as she starts to speak.]

Alright, first of all, to those of you that aren’t totally crazy, my name’s Clary, and I’m new around here. [She’s aware that she’s not the only person here against their will at least, so they should probably work together. She’s screwed if she doesn’t make some allies or friends.] If someone could let me in on what exactly is going on around here, I’d really appreciate it.

Second of all, this isn’t the first time I’ve had to deal with this alternate-dimension thing. [She’s trying to sound ultra-confident about this, and she’s mostly successful, though there’s still a sense that she’s agitated and confused.] So whoever’s responsible for this? I’m not just going to sit around and take it. You can’t keep me here, not when the people I love need me.

And third, if you think giving me a bunch of free clothes and a nice room is going to make everything okay, you’re out of your mind. [Her attempt at being intimidating falls slightly short, considering she doesn’t even know who exactly she’s supposed to be addressing in regards to all this.] This is still kidnapping, no matter how you try to spin it. I’m not about to thank you and turn into some Stockholm Syndrome case.

Comments

[littledhampir]

Apparently we can try and see them but... I wasn't in a real hurry to get to know my evil twin.

[I'm sure it's fine.]

[graphis]

[Her nose scrunches up.]

That sounds like a recipe for disaster.

[Which means she'll probably try it sometime....]

[littledhampir]

[It's just a matter of time really.]

That's pretty accurate for everything about this place. They explained the magical closets, right?

[graphis]

I kinda figured that one out on my own. I thought it was just some kind of creepy coincidence that everything I pulled out was similar to my own wardrobe. Now I know why.

[littledhampir]

You tried getting anything else out of there? This place makes shopping free and easy... if not extra weird.

[graphis]

Not yet. [She raises a brow.] You mean I can just...pull out whatever I want? Like...endlessly?

[littledhampir]

[...] I haven't really put it to the test. [Only Rose.] But I guess so. At least when it doesn't go wrong.

[graphis]

[...]

It goes wrong? That sounds bad.

[littledhampir]

That's what I said! [Shrugging.] But apparently the wrong is usually, awkward or annoying not, gonna kill you kind of bad.

[graphis]

'Usually' still isn't all that comforting, I gotta say.

I'll just be careful.

[littledhampir]

Or find somebody you don't like to test things on first. [That right there is just. IDEK.]

I'm Rose, by the way. [As if she's giving her name now because she's decided Clary is alright.] You claimed a bedroom yet?

[graphis]

I'll keep that in mind.

[She nods.]

Yeah, fifth floor. Room....41?

[littledhampir]

[Well that sees her brighten a little.]

Just up the hall from me. Don't know much about our floormates but the people who run the bar are good. [A beat.] Just don't tell Simon I said that.

[graphis]

What a nice coincidence.

[hehe

Hold up, familiar name.]

Simon?

[littledhampir]

Dirty blonde hair. British. Answers to Buttercup. He runs the bar with his wife, Jo. [A beat, as she adds.] And yeah. People here do that too.

[Which Rose clearly thinks is a little nuts.]

[graphis]

I haven't met him.

[It's definitely not her Simon. Not that he'd probably ever run a bar in a million years.]

What...you mean they got married here?

[That seems obvious now that she's said it out loud...and yet also crazy.]

[littledhampir]

You will, especially living on the fifth floor.

[Because all it has is rooms and The Bar.]

Met here. Fell in love here. Married here. Some people have been in this place for... a while. [Some of the lightness in her tone slipping away so the connotation of her words can sink in.]

[graphis]

I mean...I get it, I guess. [It's sort of sad, though, given that she's heard people just...come and go sometimes. What if the person you married just disappears one day?] It's not like you can really choose who you fall in love with.

[....sob]

[littledhampir]

Well I plan to. [Shut up Rose. You couldn't stop yourself even if you wanted to. #canon.] I'm not going to be one of those people who starts thinking about this place like it's their home.

[Don't mind Rose as she. Stomps through Clary's awkward romantic life.]

[graphis]

Neither do I. I'm just saying, even if it happens to me, it doesn't mean I need to follow through. Or take it that far.

[Clary pls.]

Hypothetically, of course. [A beat.] I guess it's their choice, though. It just sounds like it could be messy. [Another beat.] I guess love can be messy no mater where you are, though.

[Word vomit central. You're welcome, Rose.]

[littledhampir]

[While Rose starts off skeptical, Clary would see her features shift as she keeps talking and by the time she's finished? Maybe Rose knows a little something about 'messy love', okay?!

Shifting her weight.]

Maybe... you have a point. [Says the girl whose been making heart-eyes at her teacher.]

But I still think the whole marriage thing is nuts. [A beat.] But not as nuts as the fact that you could wake up thinking you're married or related to somebody but that's a whole other crazy.

[graphis]

No, agreed. Definitely.

[You could have a relationship without getting married anyway, and it didn't really matter here, right? Who was making up the certificates and stuff?]

Wait...what? Has that actually happened?

[littledhampir]

Apparently? That or Simon is messing with me, which I wouldn't put past him but when you spend a few weeks in this place? You stop being surprised. Be grateful you missed the Zombies.

[graphis]

I already did the zombie thing at home. Sort of, anyway.

[More like someone else did and there was a corpse later. Whatever.]

Hard pass on dealing with it again.

[littledhampir]

[There's a hint of surprise in her eyes but she doesn't press for details.]

They came. They saw. They killed a bunch of people. [Okay so it wasn't quite as low key as her tone might have suggested.]

But this place has the whole, what's dead doesn't stay dead thing working for it.