Visits of Velvet

[cordibus]

A: Between the conscious and the unconscious...

It happens so fast you don't have time to dwell on it.

At first, you're sleeping in your room. As you drift into slumber, you suddenly find yourself facing a blue-colored desk with an ancient-looking computer and screen. If you try to move, the chair squeaks loudly - that thing definitely needs a little bit of grease to function properly. Some chairs have rips and tears, leaking fluff, missing buttons and are generally badly in need of repair. Looking around will reveal rows of such desks all around you, with everyone in their own little blue-colored cubicle. There are large windows to the outside too, but it's impossible to see - there's way too much fog outside. Phones and other electronic devices don't appear to be working either if you had them on you.

It won't take too much time for you to notice that everyone is dressed business casual. A tiny little empty plaque holder sits on your desk, along with scattered letters from what appear to be Scrabble pieces that could form your name (or an anagram if you're feeling like it), and a number written on a post-it. You can turn your machine on, but it will take a while to be useful. Best to look around the place to see what else is here while the message saying that it's preparing the booting up screen chugs along.

The entire floor is pathetically barren for the most part. The theme of color continues with the dark blue walls, the visible ceiling pipes and the shaggy blue carpet, which is, thankfully, free of stains. If you do bother to look around during the next ten minutes, either chatting with others or walking around, you may notice two more rooms.

First, there’s a dining area with a single coffee machine. No way will this be enough for anyone to get their coffee fix. Not that they could, as there doesn't appear to be coffee anywhere. Or cups. Or spoons. Just a poor, lonely, coffee machine, empty cabinets and a fridge that isn't even plugged in.

The second is a large gathering room. You know that’s what it’s mean to be thanks to the clumsily taped sign on the top of the room's opening in near perfect handwriting. No chairs, just an empty room with no door....and a portrait of a strange man hung in the back. To its credit, despite the face and nose possibly giving you nightmares for the rest of your life, this portrait of Igor may be the most expensive looking thing in the entire floor. The mahogany frame, is enhanced by the carved butterflies around it.

B : The Talk

Eventually there is a message over the intercom to everyone. The voice is neutral, seemingly devoid of emotion. It's still hard to hear due to the glitchy sound and skipping noise.

"Att...tion. If you cou...all please come ..t....Gather... room. Thank you."

As the crowd moves into the aptly-named room, those that stay out of it will eventually find themselves being pushed by invisible boundaries into it. Once the last person is in, the voice from the intercom finally makes herself known with a polite cough. Dramatic entrance or just perfect timing? The blue, black and gold business suit somehow manages not to clash with her blonde hair and bright yellow eyes. Next to her is another individual who's also dressed in a similar suit, black hair and the same pair of yellow eyes, a small smirk and a glint in his eyes and a giant wad of papers on a wood board a golden pen in his hands.. They've already met them in a dream but now seeing them in person is an entirely new experience. They look...like models, and a lot more expensive than anything else here.

"Welcome to your first team meeting, team," she greets them, eyes darting at the group while she continues to talk. "I am Mary, and this is my brother, William. You will have to forgive us for the lack of space - normally the Velvet Room only has a small number of Guests at a time. You are all very different than that, due to the circumstances. I hope you will all get along - for your sake's anyway..." She stops to adjust her glasses and crosses her arms. "Now then, I'll make this brief. This place exists between the conscious and unconscious and takes the image of what is most suitable for the tasks ahead. In your cases, an office. As per the contract you all signed a few weeks ago, we are here to assist you with your personal growth. In exchange, you are to prove to us your willingness to change this world."

"It's no small task," William adds, finally speaking up. His voice is much deeper and relaxed than his sister's. "But our Master has faith in all of you . It will not be the same for everyone of course, but each of you has a role to play. My sister and I are here to aid you as the Velvet Room's Humanoid Resources. I am most eager to begin my duties."

"While you may have many questions, we unfortunately cannot answer all of them. This journey is also your own and those of the Velvet Room are tasks with watching, not interfering."

William just nods and shrugs is elbows.

"That being said, we will do what we can. The first round of questions is opened to the floor."

[OOC: IF you have a question for the Velvet Room’s residents, please go post it in the appropriate section in the post below. The rest of the prompts can be between yourselves!

The requests will be starting in a few weeks.]

Comments

[Speak to your Velvet HR]

[cordibus]

[Both Mary and William are willing to answer some questions...but as stipulated by the rules of the Velvet Room, they can't tell you everything. And try not to yell everything at once!]

[sociallyarcward]

[It was one of those moments where as soon as they offered to answer questions, every question Jaune had rolling around in his head promptly vanished. He stared for a few minutes, trying to grasp for them again, but his mind was whirling too fast.

After a few minutes, Jaune finally collected his thoughts enough to think of one of the more recent things he'd heard...back in the tunnels. It had stuck with him since.]

What did Luci mean when he said we were important to the survival of this world? We aren't even from here...[John's memories conflict with that statement, so Jaune hesitates.]...I think...

[He shakes it off and continues.] Actually...how is Luci involved in all of this? I don't see him here but...he did mention something about the guys in blue...that would be you two, right?

[djvelvetinblack]

We can't completely answer that question, but your destiny is tied to this world in ways you cannot imagine. If all of you were to fall, then the chaos would start over.

[William takes down a few notes as he's speaking.]

As for how he's involved is a story for him to explain. Suffice to say, his survival is tied to yours. Perhaps he might be able to speak to you directly soon.

[transient_specter]

... What kind of chaos?

[He does not trust these two at all. He'd prefer to leave, but... well. He tried. He couldn't find a door.]

And what do you mean that this world is between the conscious and unconscious?

[djvelvetinblack]

I can't say much more. But whatever you can imagine as a worst-case scenario...it would be far more terrible. Do you remember the cards Master Igor pulled during our last meeting?

[Well, William doesn't seem threatening, at least.]

The velvet room exists between dream and reality, mind and matter.

[Super helpful!]

[transient_specter]

[He stiffens, and jerks forward as if he wants to attack. But he doesn't have his Eyecons, and he can't -]

[Marchiosas appears next to him, flickering into reality, snarling. Makoto jerks his head, but... the Persona doesn't do anything but snarl.]

And you've trapped us here.

[djvelvetinblack]

[William just lets out a sigh.]

Fighting beings of power would be pointless. We're just here to speak with you. Time has no meaning here. Once we're done with the meeting, you'll be back home.

[You're being super rude tbh.]

[kokuyoyo]

So we can't harm you here.

[Chikusa is notable if only because he refused to go and, quite frankly, had to be practically dragged into the room from his cubicle. Now that he's here, however, he's settled against one of the walls, knees loosely drawn up as he looks at the siblings.]

...Then.... something more practical... What are those creatures we fought? And what were the creatures which performed the cover up in our vision?

[djvelvetinblack]

Even if we had you at your full power, it would be impossible for you to take one of us down.

[He says it with just a neutral tone. There's nothing threatening about it. Just stating facts.]

The creatures are Shadows. As for those who 'cover up', that is something beyond for us to explain to you. I apologize.

[blackdogdown]

He takes a good long ten seconds to glare from one to the other. Neither of them really sound like...

"Where the phone one..?"

Oh that's sort of unclear isn't it.

"Lucy? Or something. Annoying star guy on the app. They affiliated?"

[djvelvetinblack]

"In a way..."

William touched his chin before speaking again, as if it was weighing his next answer.

"...his fate is more tied to yours than this room."

[blackdogdown]

It's hard to glare harder then he's already glaring but he's doing it, oh he's doing it.

"Right. Sorry I asked." There is no way these blue guys are giving a straight answer are they.

"But that means he ain't malicious or whatever right? Because he sure seems to enjoy acting like it."

If Luci is the final boss he wants to get dibs on calling it like, right now.

[djvelvetinblack]

"Who knows...I suppose that depends on many events to cascade together..."

Whatever it is, he's not telling. And that glare is barely doing anything.

[blackdogdown]

"I'm assuming you do know but whatever." He's not exactly a stranger to being set on a mission where the ones in charge played their cards close to their chest. Its easier to think of this as mercenary work then anything else.

He finally breaks off his glare only to sigh.

"Can you at least tell him to cut out the "lamb" thing. It's weird."

[djvelvetinblack]

"He will explain to you in time." Don't worry this time, William isn't part of God Hand (tm) but he does know how to use that attack!

"I'm afraid I can't tell him to do anything."

[blackdogdown]

"Ugh. Fine ask him for me then. Its not intimidating at all, its just weird."

Oh you sweet summer child.

[forsteri]

[Through this whole thing Sakuma listens with his spine ramrod straight and his hands at his sides. Once the siblings are done speaking, his official air doesn't drop, but instead redirects itself.]

Before we were told that the people who couldn't handle this already went dormant again. Does that mean that anyone in Eddan has the potential to awaken? Or was there something about us?

[In other words: why us? And also, "are there NPCs", but he can't ask that.]

[djvelvetinblack]

Ahh, you've figured that out already?

[Granted Luci might have given them a clue in that regard.]

The potential is present in many...although few fo now are able to see it to the end.

[forsteri]

It seemed a little obvious.

[But "for now" is an implication that they won't be few for long.]

And when we're 'many', then... are we still going to be using this place?

[It's an okay size for the bunch of them now, but it seems a little small for hundreds...]

[djvelvetinblack]

Sometimes what is obvious is not for all.

[He looks around, pondering the possibility.]

Hmmm...I suppose that will depend how many of you will end up Awakening. This might be more than enough, but perhaps a change of rooms might be needed eventually.

[forsteri]

Then... Is there a particular likelihood of Awakening?

[There doesn't seem to be outside of "there are this many of them" and "there are this many still dormant".]

[draculabackwards]

[There are a lot of questions being thrown around. Alucard takes a moment to think of one that he hasn't already heard before proceeding.]

You need us to fight the Shadows because if we don't, they combine into something worse, do they not?

[djvelvetinblack]

[He taps his papers, somewhat impressed. However, first, a formality;]

We do not need you to do anything. We are here to help you. What you do will change your destiny accordingly.

But to answer your question, yes.

[seasonsofdeath]

[Pharos comes forward, smiling politely but very curious.]

Hello. [He hasn't been in this room before, but he's at least more aware of it than the others.]

[probablynoteren]

[Everything is so bizarrely blue. Lenka had ignored most of his desk and waited somewhat patiently for the computer to boot up, but eventually gotten distracted by the bustle in the rest of the room enough that he got up to explore -- since the kitchen was sad and useless, here he is.

He's unwound his tie from around his neck and is just holding it in one hand while he deliberates his question, having managed to beeline his way up to the front. It took a few moments with the crowd, though, so in the meantime he's been listening in on the questions asked.]

This is a dream. [it's more a musing than a question; the real question comes soon enough:] How do we stop this? What's happening in this city. The monsters.

[He doesn't talk about the world yet, because it's better to start small.]