fortiscor | TDM #1

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TDM #1

"Well, good morning, Sleepy Head,"

The voice was sweet and pleasant on the ears. You open your eyes to find a smiling face looking down at you. A face that looks human enough. Two eyes, a nose and a mouth, all in the right places. But something feels off about it... "We've been waiting for you to wake. It's about time!" The nurse, for now that she's moved away you realise that she is indeed dressed how you would imagine a nurse would be dressed, continues to talk and fuss about the room. In doing this, she explains:

❝You've been asleep for such a long time! Several years ago there was an Event that caused many people to fall into deep, deep sleeps. Some woke within days or weeks of their fall, but there were some, like yourself, who have been asleep for so much longer. It's hard to tell just how long you have slept, and I fear the world you remember is very different now, but we are here to help you through your transition from Dream World to the Waking World.❞

The nurse leaves and you are left alone. You will find that even though you have been in a coma for years, you are as physically fit as you remember. Any injuries you believed you had are gone now, as if they were never there. At the foot of the bed are clothes and any items you own. Take them. Go. The urge will take you. Once you leave, you will find you can not enter the hospital again, nor can you quite remember how you got out in the first place. All you can remember is the strangely haunting nurse and her words...

Welcome to Williamsburg!

The town before you is a hodgepodge of colour and style. No two houses are exactly the same. Some made of wood, or brick or even strange metals. Some are no more than holes in the ground. But all are warm and welcoming inside and not many are inhabited. In fact you'll find that the town itself isn't that populated at all. The busiest place is Main Street. Here you will find all the shops you need.

From food to beauty and fashion and furnishings for home and garden, there is a café selling the most delicious of sweets and a pub that never closes. The Main Street is the place to be, if there is something you are lacking. And it is only a hop, skip and a jump from the Hospital and around the corner from everywhere else.

● [The Nowhere Inn] is the local watering hole where you can come and share a drink with a friend. Or, if just passing through, spend the night. Here you will be greeted by Bert, the owner and bartender. A seven foot tall bear of a man with a magnificent beard and a loud, booming voice! And a desire to one day create a cocktail that will take the world by storm. It's just a shame that not all of his little experiments hit the mark... Newcomers to the town will be offered a drink on the house. Choose wisely, as some of these drinks can often come with side effects, both good and bad.
✦ Apricot Smash: A refreshing glass of fruit squash. Made from the concentrated juice of a sour and sweet type of apricot, this is a simple and thirst quenching kind of drink. If asked nicely, this can also be made into a slushie! Anyone who tries this deliciously fruity drink will find themselves enjoying a chance to dance and/or sing at any given opportunity. (Side effect: It can cause insomnia.)
✦ Lemongrass Twilight: Made from spicy and sour lemongrass syrup, this mildly alcoholic drink is served in a tall glass with round, purple coloured balls of ice. The drink is a swirling green, yellow and purple colour. Those who try this drink will find themselves feeling very mellow and warm and more inclined to feelings of affection. (Side effect: It can cause headaches.)
✦ Mint Blast: Pale blue-green with light swirls and served in a wine glass. The drink is heavy on the mint and light on the alcohol, with even a little sprig of it resting on the rim of the glass. Drinking this will leave you feeling a chilled and shivery. A nice cuddle should soothe those chills away. (Side effect: It causes sleepiness in the drinker.)
✦ Blue Smooch: This drink is a deep blue with white, creamy foam atop. The drink smells like chocolate and tastes wonderful. It leaves the drinker feeling happy and optimistic, almost childlike. (Side effect: It is rumoured to cause truthfulness in the drinker.)
✦ Burning Wine: Pale gold with yellow-orange swirls, this mulled wine is served in a clear glass mug and tastes like cinnamon and oranges, with a hint of chili. It has a nice, warming burn as it goes down. This drink will put a fire in your belly and keep you toasty and warm through the cold nights. It may also make drinkers a little more amorous than usual. (Side effect: It can sometimes cause tingling and numbness in the extremities.)
✦ Frosted Starlight: Sapphire with silver flecks and glittering sugar around the rim of the glass. This is an intoxicating alcoholic drink that is only served in the evening and at night. The drink itself smells like coconut yet there is no coconut within the drink. The taste is almost floral, with a slight hint of grape. Those who have tried this drink often find themselves with the brief ability to touch another and see their surface thoughts. (Side effect: It can cause blackouts.)

● [Sugar ‘n Spice Café] is a peculiar place. From the outside it looks like any other store front, but as you enter and the little bell tinkles, you will find the interior to be bright and open. Warm colours and bright lighting, and from somewhere soft music is always playing. A very modern sort of café selling a wide selection of handmade sweets and pastries as well as an espresso machine.
For the next month, if you come in for a hot drink you can have your choice of their specially made, homemade cheesecake free of charge. Subject to availability, of course.
✦ Roasted strawberries and cream cheesecake: Made with a chocolate biscuit base, sumptuous strawberries and homemade cream.
✦ Coconut cheesecake with lime and passionfruit sauce: This zesty citrus cheesecake has a buttery base, creamy coconut filling and fruity lime and passionfruit sauce.
✦ Triple choc upside-down cheesecake: The name may say upside-down, but this cake looks right side up to us! Juicy raspberries give it a fresh bite and for the chocoholics - oozing sauce.
✦ Gingernut cheesecake tart with sticky maple pears: A creamy cheesecake with high visual impact for that special dessert finale to your dinner party.

● For those looking to add a little something extra to their wardrobe, they'd be best heading to [Dreams Come True Boutique]. For the month of April the clothing store will be offering all new arrivals free vouchers for up to three new outfits of their choosing. Within reason, of course. But most all of the clothes here are decently priced with an odd array of fashions from the very old fashioned to near futuristic.

● [Linlae Botanical Gardens] resides not far from Main Street. Part of the gardens are covered, housed within a large green house, but most of the gardens are outside and easily accessed. There is much to see here, from the [Hedgemaze] with the secret gazebo at it's centre, [Hanging Gardens] and the weeping willows reaching into the waters of a large koi pond. If you're lucky you might see a large white carp, said to be 2,000 years old by the name of Etherus. Who knows how long he'd lived in that pond, but they say if you catch sight of him it's a sign of good luck. And if you manage to see him during a full moon, he may grant you a wish.
There are benches all over, places to sit and take in the peace. But don't expect much quiet, the twittering of birds is a near constant companion within these gardens.

● [A Home]. As you explore you will realise that you're going to need somewhere to stay the night. Of course you could always go to The Nowhere Inn and wait until morning, or you could just... open a door.
87% of the houses within the town of Williamsburg is vacant, and well maintained, for many years. These houses wait for someone to come and bring life into them. Inside your pocket you will find a key. If your key doesn't fit the lock, that house is occupied, so find another. When you finally open a door, you'll notice that the key has changed subtly. That key is now unique and can be used only for this house. It is yours.
Some houses come fully furnished, some might need some work. You might even be surprised to find that the house is one that looks vaguely familiar...

A Familiar View

It may have been immediate or it may take days for you to notice, but when you do...

The memories of your Dream World are coming back to you. It doesn't feel much like a dream at all. Those things that happened, those feelings you had, all seemed so real!

And then you find it.

It could be something as simple as a book, or as large as a building. You know this thing. This thing has been pulled directly from your memories, whether those memories are good or bad is entirely up to you. But there it is, as large as life, right in front of your eyes. What does this mean? Which world is real and which isn't? How did these things from that other world make it into this?
This is your chance to explore this new addition to Williamsburg. Maybe you will find the answers you seek? Or maybe you will be left with more questions. Just know that you aren't alone. It seems that almost everything in this world was pulled from another, brought here by 'others', and left here.

Maybe this new landmark, or item, leaves you with a warm feeling and questions are the last thing on your mind? Perhaps you would like to share with your friends, or even a perfect stranger, the joy that this thing brings you? Tell them your story. Share with them it's the history. Or maybe the feelings attached are feelings of anger, of horror and fear? Misery does love company, so don't go through with this trip down memory lane alone.

Down the Rabbit Hole

It starts with something small shifting around you. Maybe it’s a door or window, but as you walk down the street things take a turn for the bizarre. It’s far too late to escape by the time you notice the buildings themselves bleeding into the sky or folding back onto themselves.

You are stuck in The Corridor now.

And you appear to be alone. Or are you? As the buildings creak in protest you seem to hear footsteps. Is that a fellow waylaid traveler?

Before you can determine the direction of the sounds, one thing becomes clear to you: these homes and businesses, all that brick and mortar, seem to be closing in on you…

It is a gradual squeeze but you can tell that if you don’t get out of there you’ll eventually be crushed. As you explore this place where time and gravity seem to have lost all meaning and your senses may even betray you, you search for a way out or an end to this madness and that is when you finally realize that the buildings are taking shape according to your will. The more you panic, the more claustrophobic and chaotic things become. But if you remain calm and focus your attention you find you can tame the buildings back into their original shapes and places. Of course, it helps if you have a partner.

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Welcome to Williamsburg:
[Holding a bag of her precious items to her chest, Orihime took to the streets in the hopes of finding something familiar to her. So far she hadn't seen a thing.

It was all so confusing. Everything was confusing. She'd asked the nurse to repeat herself three times and it had been explained that she could seek a specialist who could help her to assimilate and come to terms with the fact that her memories... were a lie. But how could they be a lie? How could everything she had lived through, how could all of her friends be a lie? How could Ichigo, Tatsuki, Chad... how could they all be lies? Figments of her imagination?]

Just a dream... No, no I don't believe it.

[It just didn't feel right. But if it wasn't right then how could she explain the town she was in? Orihime hugged her things closer, fear causing her to shiver.]

I want to go home...

Sugar ‘n Spice Café:
[Orihime had not one, but two slices of cheese cake in front of her! he coconut cheesecake and the triple chocolate one. Both had looked delicious. She even had a hot chocolate, complete with whipped cream and sprinkles. She was in absolute heaven and, for a short while at least, was able to forget to be scared.

How could a place with such delicious food be a scary place?]

Mmmm thish is shoo gooo!

[Talking with her mouth full was rude, of course. But since she was sat alone it was okay! She wasn't bothering anyone, she hoped.]

Dreams Come True Boutiques:
Ohh this dress is so pretty! Surely it can't really be free?

[She called to the store clerk just to be sure, and yes, since she was 'new' she was allowed to pick three dresses completely free of charge to help get her settled. It was such a sweet thing to do that Orihime couldn't stop the wide smile from pulling at her lips. The dress was lifted and pressed up against her body as she stepped to the left and the right, making the skirt swish.

It was perfect.]

Now I just need two more, in that case!

Down The Rabbit Hole:
[Orihime thought she was seeing things at first. A window shifting just a little as she walked passed on her way home. But when it happened again, and again, she couldn't brush it off as a trick of her imagination.

Within minutes of realising what was actually going on, she realised that it was too late. She was already in danger.

She stopped, staring up in terror as the buildings at either side of her rose higher and twisted to cover her. She was surrounded on all sides. And then the walls started to close in. Orihime realised that she was going to be crushed. But her legs just wouldn't move but her knees shook. When she opened her mouth to shout, no sound came out.

Was this how she would die?

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[ The walls do come perilously close to the girl, but today is not her fated day, for someone unexpected is here to save her.

Aizen was suddenly just behind the girl. The sheer weight of his will or perhaps his reiatsu made a dome around them both which nothing could enter. He did not direct any of this toward her, but rather used it to shield them both. ]

A girl like you should smile more often.

[ With that reminder of one of their past conversations, Aizen dispensed with any of this dream nonsense that was being fed to all those brought here. And perhaps because of this, the buildings around them drew back and began to take something of their normal shapes.

A warm smile graced his features and while it could be and usually was a lie, he was genuinely happy to see her. Her abilities made her a dangerous person and there were so very few of those left to him now. ]

[She wasn't exactly a fighter and this was no fight. This was something akin to a natural disaster and how were you supposed to defend against that other than to huddle down and take shelter and hope you survive.

What Orihime didn't expect, because how could she ever have expected it was for a voice to speak behind her. Familiar words that caused her eyes to widen further. The shifting world was forgotten as she spun around to find a man standing there who had no right to be there at all. A nightmare taken form. Something far scarier to her than the world falling around her ears.

Except... the world wasn't falling anymore. They were moving in the other direction, falling back into place. And there was Aizen, smiling down at her like it was just a walk in the park and nothing was amiss.]

Why are you here...?

[The words fall from her lips on a soft breath, arms folding around herself protectively.]

[ Aizen chuckled softly. ]

What an interesting question.

[ It was one he'd been trying to answer for himself for years now, but he was in no rush. Time had as little meaning to him as death now. Aizen did not elaborate on his thoughts though. Instead he reached over and tilted her chin upwards to better see her face. His touch was gentle, assessing. Though his hands and most of his body were covered in the black seals Urahara had foisted upon him, he was still just as deadly as ever. Moreseo, in fact. ]

You don't seem to be hurt.

[ Aizen had several reasons for doing this, and that was only one of them. ]

[It didn't escape her notice that he avoided the question entirely. Though when she thought of it, Orihime had no idea if she meant here in front of her or in this world... She'd have liked answers to both, in truth.

When he touched her, Orihime's jaw clenched stubbornly and she made an attempt to pull herself free of his grasp. That gentleness was a lie. That smile was a lie. Everything about him was a horrible lie that she refused to fall for.]

I'm fine. Nothing I can't handle.

[ Aizen let the girl go when she tried to move away. In fact, he took a step back. ]

How interesting. Then I seem to have interfered where I wasn't needed.

[ Aizen let his powers wane and with that the buildings came rushing back. He made to step by her and keep walking. Slowly, so as to give her a chance to change her mind. She would have to ask him for help now or risk being crushed. ]

[It was for only a second or two that Orihime watched Aizen walk away from her... Before she turned tail and ran in the other direction.

How could she ask him for help? Help from a man like that could never be a good thing. Would always have hidden conditions and manipulations and she wasn't prepared to deal with those just yet. It was hard enough just getting her bearings in this strange world that was supposedly her own.

But it made her wonder... Or it would have, if she'd had time to think about it seriously, just who they all were now that the dream was over.

Orihime didn't stop to think. And if Aizen was paying attention, he would see a sudden yellow light bloom around her as she called on her friends to help her. Her Santen Kesshun curved around her, shielding her from falling debris and would, she hoped, protect her from the walls closing in. And give her time enough to work out how to save herself...]

[ Aizen kept walking at a sedate pace and eventually stopped. With the way the girl had panicked before he knew it was unlikely she'd be able to figure this out on her own. He had no use for weak or broken things and while he had expected her to fall for the low-effort manipulation he offered, she did not. She was already powerful in her own way. This made her more interesting.

Aizen smiled to himself and used shunpo to appear immediately by her side. Of course, this caused the buildings to almost rear back and away from his presence. ]

Allow me to be more firm in rescuing you this time.

[ Aizen extended his hand and waited for her to take it. He could have easily broken through her barrier but he was not there to inspire fear. ]

[She wasn't without ability, she just needed a minute. Just a minute to think...

Orihime looked left and right, then straight up. She could try and go through the buildings. There was a window there. She could jump through and try and get to the other side. It wouldn't be easy with the world on its side but it was an option...

And then Aizen was at her elbow again and this time she shot him a dirty look.]

You're rescuing me...? How do I know this isn't your doing?

[Why would he be rescuing her in the first place? Wouldn't he be happier if he could just watch her be squashed like a bug?]

I am.

[ The hand remained where it was, firm and unyielding. ]

The question you should be asking yourself is why would I bother with this?

[ Aizen's expression was...indulgent. ]

[Because he wanted something. She didn't need to ask because she knew the answer. Aizen wanted something from her. His help would come with fine print, hidden conditions that she would discover only after the deed had been done.

Orihime didn't think she was really that stupid...

But she also recognised that she was going to need help. And there was no one else around to offer it.

She glanced away, torn by her choices and upset by the fact that she really didn't have any.

Without looking she threw out her hand and grabbed Aizen's.]

[ When their fingers touched, the warm bath of Aizen's reiatsu encompassed her in its protection as well. Aizen took her hand in his and held it gently. He stood beside her long enough for her to adjust to the benign warmth of the contact before taking one step forward and down the corridor. ]

Shall we?

[For a moment Orihime's eyes closed as Aizen encased her within his reiatsu. She supposed it was supposed to make her feel safe. But all it did was make her feel trapped.

The nicer he was, the more she felt like she should be running away. Orihime didn't know what he could want from her...

She nodded and let him lead her, knowing she didn't have a choice in the matter.]

Alright...

Orihime Inoue | Bleach | OTA

Down the Rabbit Hole

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Dessert club!

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