Erika heart

[dramatispersonae]

You get the sense that you pass through a door, but it shuts immediately behind you. However, when you look back, there is nothing but a dead end wall behind you. There is carpet is lush beneath your feet, and the corners are free of dust. Except for the lack of any actual entrance, it could easily be the entranceway of a lavish mansion.

Any magical or otherwise supernatural abilities you have are disabled.

♫ the great detective knows

((please join #thegreatdetective))

Comments

THE INNER CAVERN

[dramatispersonae]

You follow the path downward for a time that seems interminable, but finally you see a light at the end of the tunnel. Your lack of awareness of other people fades by the time you get there.

You emerge into a larger cave, lit by a faintly glowing blue lattice on the ground ahead of you. Or maybe not on the ground... it's hard to tell in the dark, but beneath it is pitch black, so it might be more like a net suspended over a deep hole... It's wide, too: at least 50 feet across, and it stretches completely to the cave walls.

At the very middle of the net sits Erika, dressed in a nearly transparent white dress and an elaborate white crown. Strewn around her are various shapes of various sizes, from about the size of a hand to half the size of a person. Some of them are rough-hewn and unrecognizable, but some of them seem to look a bit like chess pieces. A few of them are half-stuck through the net, but they don't seem to be able to fit through.

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[boxupallthebutterflies]

[...glancing up at her...]

Hmmm...? Hello~

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[thinkoutsidethebox]

[It's not really up - it's more like this part of the cavern has no floor other than the blue lattice. You can't get very close without walking on it.]

Hello, Beatrice.

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[boxupallthebutterflies]

[well EITHER WAY.]

What's this setup, hmm?

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[thinkoutsidethebox]

It's not for your benefit. Not like that mansion up above. This is my place.

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[surefire]

[h... mm... experimentally setting one foot on the lattice]

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[dramatispersonae]

Your foot goes through.

Erika smiles at you smugly.

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[surefire]

[smiles back, pleasantly]

Oh dear. Now I just feel excluded.

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[thinkoutsidethebox]

If you'd like to walk on it, there's a simple enough way to make it support your weight.

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[itsalluseless]

[...crouching down to poke the net]

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[dramatispersonae]

Your finger goes through it.

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[itsalluseless]

Hey, Erika. What's with the spider act...?

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[thinkoutsidethebox]

Problems, Ushiromiya Battler...? If you want to walk on it, it's simple enough.

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[sightunseen]

Hello there....

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[thinkoutsidethebox]

Hello.

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[sightunseen]

Are you pleased by your visitors, Miss Erika?

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[thinkoutsidethebox]

You've done better than I might have expected. Although, it's not like there was anything that challenging.

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[aprettygirl]

My, I think this is the first setup I've found here that's been reasonably unexpected.

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[thinkoutsidethebox]

Is that so...? Well, I don't try to hide things, you know.

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[aprettygirl]

Hmm -- yes, I'll give you that.

Why are you suspended over a pit? It looks uncomfortable.

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[thinkoutsidethebox]

I'm suspended over a bit because the truth is I'm suspended over a pit. At any point another failure could mean falling back into the depths of oblivion.

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[debossy]

Ah, Erika!

[ . . . well the first thing he's going to do is try to fly. because you know.]

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[dramatispersonae]

You can fly, but as soon as you get over the net, it's like gravity is ten or a hundred times its usual force, pulling you downwards. And the net won't support you, so be careful you catch yourself at the edge....

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[debossy]

[trdiyuhihpiuh

I should have realized]

Erika!!

[IT'S COOL IT'S COOL HE'S GOOD]

Re: THE INNER CAVERN

[thinkoutsidethebox]

Yes?