(no subject)

[deathofdelilah]

How curious.

One moment, I am walking the familiar streets of London, returning from whence I came...

...and the next I am in a completely unfamiliar place, staring at a carousel.

Which raises the question of where I am, and how I got here.

Curious indeed.

Comments

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

London?

I'm terribly sorry, but as I'm sure you've realized by now, I'm afraid this isn't your London at all.

[deathofdelilah.livejournal.com]

I see. And where would I be instead?

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Well, it's a place called the City. People are brought here to stay from all over, and from all different worlds, as well.

[deathofdelilah.livejournal.com]

I see. And how would one get back to London from here?

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

I...er, I'm afraid that's rather the bad news of it all. There isn't a way to go back home--at least, not that any of us have willingly found yet.

[deathofdelilah.livejournal.com]

How is that even possible? There must be some way.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Well, it's a sort of very powerful magic, I think. It keeps us here until our time comes to go.

[deathofdelilah.livejournal.com]

And how long is that?

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

It...varies. I've been here nearly two years, myself.

1/2

[deathofdelilah.livejournal.com]

...

2/2

[deathofdelilah.livejournal.com]

...I cannot stay here that long.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

It's troublesome, I know, but...well, at least on the bright side of things, time doesn't move while you're gone? Er, back home, that is. You'll go back right to the moment you left, when it's your time to go, so no one will have missed you at all.

[deathofdelilah.livejournal.com]

...still. There are matters that I need to attend to without delay.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear that. There really isn't anything to be done about it, though.

[deathofdelilah.livejournal.com]

...

...this City. Where is it, exactly, then?

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Well, it's a bit complicated, so please do bear with me. This will all sound very strange, I know.

This City is...well, it's sort of in-between all the other worlds that everyone in it comes from. There's a barrier around the outside that keeps us in, and it's ruled by a set of deities with the power to pluck people out of their own worlds and drop them in here. So we're not sure where it is, exactly, only that it's not in any of our own worlds, but rather another one entirely.

[deathofdelilah.livejournal.com]

...I see.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

As I mentioned, it's a bit complicated. But it does get easier, really, once you get settled in and things.

Which reminds me, is there anything you're in need of at the moment? You're lucky that you've arrived when it's warm out, and doubly so that it didn't sound as though you fell into the Fountain.

Er. You didn't, did you?

[deathofdelilah.livejournal.com]

No, no I did not.

I can only think to ask where people are expected to stay in this place, if they're kept here for so long.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's fortunate. Many people do, you know, once they first get here.

As for where to stay, there ought to be a Welcome Center right near where you are at the moment--it's run by a dear friend of mine, and it's there specifically to help new arrivals like yourself. Once you're a bit more acquainted with things, there are any number of places you could stay, really. There are twelve buildings with residences all in a circle around the City, just like the numbers on a clock, and you're welcome to any one of those. Or sometimes, when people discover that there are other people they know here--that does happen sometimes, people all being brought from the same world--they go to stay with their friends that way.

You're certainly welcome to simply go claim an empty residence in the apartment buildings, of course, but there is the ticking to think of, so it's better to find a pet or someone to stay with, too.

[deathofdelilah.livejournal.com]

So I hear. How very odd.

I'll likely simply find a residence in one of those buildings, then, since I truly doubt I will find any friends from London here.

Ticking?

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Oh, do you think so? Well, I know there are at least a few people from London here, though it may not be the same one as your London, I'm afraid. Still, if there are any friends of yours here, I'm sure they'll find you on this Network and come looking for you.

Yes, from the clock beneath the City. You only hear the ticking when you're alone, so it's good to be around other people. Otherwise, the sound of it gets rather maddening after a while.

[deathofdelilah.livejournal.com]

I still have the very strong suspicion that none of those people from London would be considered a friend of mine.

...I see. And I can guess that there's no way to drown it out?

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Really? Oh...well, I'm very sorry that you think so, and I do hope your suspicion proves to be incorrect, after all.

I think people have tried it, but it's quite difficult to ignore, after a while.

[deathofdelilah.livejournal.com]

You're kind to hope so.

I see. How very curious.