dramatispersonae | Apple's Heart

Entry tags:

~hearts

Apple's Heart

Your arrival is marked by the feel of sand under your feet, with the sound and smell of the ocean wafting in from behind you. A dampness hangs in the air and the sky is overcast. Directly in front of you the sand fades into a grassy hill, on top of which a white castle rests. To the left, a little ways off, you can see tall sandstone cliffs. Off to the right is a large field of sunflowers that stretches out into the distance. There are no paths or signs anywhere to be seen.

((#applecore))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You guys are way too nice . . .

Hey . . . do you know where I can find Apple?

"Oh! The castle!"
"The castle!"
"Or the other place."
"No, don't go there, she's not looking for that one."
"Then it'd be the castle."

What other place?

There's a hush.

The boy with blue hair speaks up. "The mist. But you don't wanna go there."

All the kids shake their heads.

. . . Is Apple there? Is she in danger?

"No."
"Well--"
"Maybe?"
"Who knows."
"It's kind of danger, but it's not."
"She's okay."

I'm going to go after her! Tell me where it is, please?

They all exchange looks, before the pink haired girl points to the right. You can see a heavy mist in the distance.

"It's there. But you shouldn't go that way."

Because it's dangerous? I promise I'll be okay. I'm a knight, remember?

"Okay--make sure you come back!"
"Be safe!"
"Fight all the bad guys for us!"

I will! I won't lose! Princess, you take good care of the doll, okay?

[and heading off towards the mist!]

The mist gets thicker and thicker, and most of the sunflowers in this area are dead. They also thin out, but it gets harder to see.

This is definitely not a good place for her to be . . .

[I WILL PRESS ON.]

There is an oppressive cold here, and the mist is so thick that you can barely see anything in front of you. The exception is the Ring, which glows just enough that you can make out that it is only a few yards away. The soil beneath your feet turns to tile, so slippery it’s difficult to keep your balance. From somewhere in the mist you hear a threatening hisssssss.

[still wielding the plastic sword, BUT DOING SO OFFENSIVELY!]

Hey! I'm not afraid of you!

[headed for the Ring!]

Your progress is halted by a tall glass gate surrounding the Ring. Inside of it sits the Jabberwock, eying you and hissing. Beyond that you can make out a huge blurry shape on the other side of the Jabberwock's cage.

What is that? Hey, open up! What do you think you're doing?

You get no response, other than Jabberwock's hisssss.

[HITS THE GLASS! with her plastic sword.]

Nothing happens.

[trying to see if she can get around to see that shape, then . . . ]

You can. The glass is hugging the outside of the Ring, giving you enough room to move around. The shape is a huge hourglass sitting right outside of the cage, but connected to the glass bars. The bottom half is filled with water, and a person is floating inside of it.

No--! Stop it--Apple?!

[IS IT APPLE OH GOD]

It is indeed Apple. She looks like she could be sleeping, except for the whole being underwater thing.

Apple!

--Hey, Jabberwock!

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