Castle of Illusions; Final Mix

[yami]

[glow=blue,2,300]Castle of Illusions; Final Mix[/glow]

Scenario

"You've been invited to Beast's Castle, to confirm this was indeed sent from the man himself, you'll find an emblem directly sealing this envelope. It's in the form of a wilthing rose. There's to be a grand celebration, peace has arrived at last! There's plenty of food, dancing, it's entertainment for all~!

Oh one more thing, there's supposed to be a special announcement. Please come asap!

---

Re-Mix

"I don't know how I did it... but, here I am. This is Beast's Castle; his home. Yet I don't remember how I got here and...

[shadow=red,left,300]CREEEEAAAK[/shadow]

"I can't exactly 'leave' either. How did this happen, does it have anything to do with the past? What sort of enemy could be out there...?"

Sora couldn't help but torment himself with questions. Any teen would, the lad was trapped after all. Contemplating about the situation was instinct... or was it anxiety? There was no viable solution, with every longing glance to the door; he reminded himself that he was trapped. Wait, trapped where? Oh the guest room, you know, one of the many within the large castle.

Just outside the room was a vague blue light, accompanied by sounds one would expect in a haunted house. Yet the biggest mystery; the one that capitvated those lost, blue hues... was right infront of him. Deep within a dresser draw was two yellow orbs. The light emitted from their radiance pierced into the hero's eyes. They seemed downright beady, suspicious even!

...but that was all it was. "Riku, Kairi, Beast...? Anyone!?"

Once more he looked around, anxiety creeped up on him, possessing him to yell out; "ARGH! It's no use, I'm trapped...why did this happen..."

He wasn't here for long, three days at best. It was unusual even now, Sora of all people showed up early. He was more of a "just in time" kinda guy, there when asked/needed. Being early was just fate. He tackled every viable option, replaying every bit within his cerebral as he laid sprawled on a comfy double bed. At least Beast had taste, the room was clean, decorated nicely. Yet Sora wasn't concerned about suck fickle details, he wanted to see his friend, to party... that was the idea behind the invitiation after all.

---

Beyond Sora within the Guest room, those whom arrive wether by Gummi Ship or otherwise are instantly transported to the same room but not before picking a number. There are four numbers total, pending on which one is choosen, you are whisked away to a different part of he castle. Sora chose number four. What will the next guest choose? Pray it's not one...

[Iris|Kairi]

Ahh, Kairi's lovely "princess of hearts" certified gut feelings. Or perhaps they were heart feelings instead? In any case, she felt disturbed and compelled to track down her friend Sora. Sure, she was used to him being gone, since she'd had to go a whole year once, but really, now that life was back to "normal" he'd been around all the time.

And now he wasn't. She'd gotten rather used to it again.

BUT! She knew where he was, at least. She'd received an invitation as well, strange as it was. She didn't personally know Beast. The only connection was by association, through Sora and through Belle. Maybe it had something to do with Beast and Belle! Ooooo...A special announcement. She had an idea of what it could be.

So maybe she didn't go solely to check on Sora, but that's what she neded up doing. The small feeling that he'd gotten himself into some sort of situation she'd had back on the Islands grew the nearer she came to the world. And it wasn't just because he left to get someone EARLY for once. No, as strange as THAT in itself was, it was the fact that he had been gone three days, and her heart seemed to be warning her that this wasn't just a normal party.

...She was starting to feel guilty that she hadn't gone with him to begin with. Her studies could've waited. With Sora's extensive absences from classes due to world saving, she'd be a year ahead of him if she didn't take some absences herself.

Navigating the Sea of Stars was trying. It was...foggy. And honestly dangerous. She'd almost gotten shot down at least four times by what seemed to be gummi ships, and once she'd almost crashed into an asteroid to avoid laser fire. Whew...she'd prefer not to do that again...

Kairi landed safely on the world at last, but one step outside her ship and it seemed everything froze. Pick a number? It seemed she had no choice...

"Four?" Kairi's voice was inquisitive and unsure. Something didn't feel right. In fact...it felt downright wrong. Brr..she didn't like it at all.

*POP*

The red head popped right into Sora's guest room!

[♥ kats KAT kats ♥]

Days at the palace had become very boring for this "princess of heart". Aladdin was away as usual, he did pop in every so often to check up on his girl but mostly the only company she had around was Rajah. Her companion tiger. She could always express herself to her cat friend, even if the only response she got was a rub on the leg or against the face. Maybe even a possible lick on the face.

Jasmine had become a bit of a street 'rat' herself, though it wasn't much of a rat really. She didn't have to go out disguised anymore. Her father still didn't like her going out there alone, but she always seemed to get her way. She had just come back into her room from roaming around the palace some to find a letter on her pillow. I opene it and read;

"You've been invited to Beast's Castle, to confirm this was indeed sent from the man himself, you'll find an emblem directly sealing this envelope. It's in the form of a wilthing rose. There's to be a grand celebration, peace has arrived at last! There's plenty of food, dancing, it's entertainment for all~!

Oh one more thing, there's supposed to be a special announcement. Please come asap!

It seemed interesting enough. She wouldn't mind going to a party, since things around here had become very bland. She made sure she was presentable, wearing her blue bedlah outfit. She had a way of getting to other worlds, recently she had found a portal in her closet. Yes, it was strange but she had only recently discovered it. She walked into her closet, carrying the letter.

Before leaving though, she turned to Rajah. "See ya, Rajah." Her tiger companion looked at her with longing eyes "Don't give me that, I wish I could take you with me. Be good.~" She then walked into the portal, thinking to herself of the place she wanted to go to. Beast's Castle. Wherever that was.

She appeared out of the portal moments later, in a new world. She froze as she stepped out of the portal. Pick a number?

"Hmmm.. three." She said outloud.

[blue]

Nue had probably spent a good two hours just staring at the pale envelope before finally breaking the delicate seal. Honestly, he was suspicious of the curved handwriting and the owner of that handwriting. He also had no idea how the innocent piece of paper made its way through Castle Oblivion to his desk, and sat there waiting for him. No one sends him mail, especially people of... Sora's past. It should of been sent to Sora, or Riku, maybe even Kari, he concluded. Not him. But, in the end, something compelled him to tear it open and read what was inside.

Party? Friends? Okay, now Nue was seriously doubting whether this letter was for him at all. He sighed, tossing the letter back to his desk and leaning in his chair with a frustrated air. Another reason for his 'memories' to taunt him.

Another moment passed and he caught himself repeatably glancing at the opened letter lying carelessly on his desk. Should he go? Well, it was probably going to bother him for a good part of the day, so he might as well take the effort to go give Beast's Castle a visit. More than likely to arrive to explain he shouldn't be there and leave moments later. So, dressing himself up and arming his waist with his weapons, Nue set out for the castle.

It was a short trip, memory serving him of a quicker route and he was there within the next hour. He wandered up the path through the familiar forestry toward the looming castle, crossing the bridge and entering the front gates. But as soon as his boots hit the cemented walkway, a question echoed in his head. Nue flinched and reached for a gun, glancing about for what it was that was that was speaking to him.

No one around.

Pick a number. Between one and four.

Realization dawned on him that it was the world itself speaking to him. Asking for a choice, an answer. He supposed this was just some part of the party in which he was invited to. Alright.

"One," he answered.

[yami]

Re-Mix


[glow=blue,2,300]Whisked[/glow] away to room number four, Kairi was in for a big surprise! Sent to the Castle's guest room she'd be paired up with none other than Sora. Within the room was fixtures needed for a guest to enjoy themself. A comfy bed, nightstands(x2), oh and did I mentioned the chest of drawer that had looming yellow orbs? Well ta-dah, it's there looming Sora in the face. Through the small slits of the door, the blue light increased in luminosity. Although it was only for a brief moment as it no sooner settled down to it's eerie glow.

---

The lovely Princess Jasmine was whisked away to the Master Bedroom. Within it's confines was the trapped rose of familiar woe... or was it? For one thing, Beast was not within his own quarters. Did I mention the rose inside the glass wasn't a rose but an Iris? Ah well... it was a wilting Iris, it gave off the blue light that seeped through the doors. Everything else was as it should be inside Beast's Room. Except for the closet, it was rattling...the door that is. There was a loud pounding on those doors, wether it was irritating or creepy mattered not.

---

Oh woe was the person who picked the number 1. Why? Well it's not as if they were transported to any immediate danger. In fact, they were arguably in the best position right now. 1 sent their victim to the dinning hall where many of the Castle's inhabitants were gathered around. Nah it really wasn't a bad thing at all, except for the fact that they had a daunting task to undergo. For atop the center of the dinning table was a new commer to the enchanted items. It was a...sword. The blue light was seeping out from it and filling the castle with an unusual power.

The inhabitants had /tried/ to destroy the sword...to lift the sword. All to no avail in the end, thus it remains ontop of the table.

[Iris|Kairi]

Kairi blinked and took a quick look around as she sudden appeared in what seemed to be a guest room. It really must be true that her heart resonated with Sora, for here she stood, the very person she sought in her line of sight. He didn't seem to notice her, but that wasn't unusual. She wasn't sure if she'd made any sound upon entering anyway.

He did seem out of sorts to her, though. But at the same time he was in a familiar position she knew. Sprawled on his back, though usually in the sand of the islands...but it was still probably the same.

"Hey there, you lazy bum! I've been looking for you." she informed him, placing her hand on her hips and leaning forward to smirk a crooked but playful little smirk at him. She knew not of the possible dire situation they were in. Not yet anyway.

Kairi was relieved to have found her spiky haired hero, though. Attachments were funny, fickle things.

[Heroic Bilby]

With a clear amount of awkwardness a new figure appeared in the hall of Beast's Castle. They simply appeared form the doorway without ever having walked to it and fell down onto the floor of the entrance. Whoever this person was it certainly could not be determined by the state they were in now. A thick cloak coloured a drab purple flowed over their entire fallen form, blocking out all signs of flesh and revealing only a little of their form. Human, it was safe to say. Male or female would remain in question.

The figure roused with a startled air, clearly not having expected to suddenly arrive here against their will simply by coming to this world. When fully stood the figure wasn't all that much more revealing about their appearance than they had been on the floor. The cloak reached the entire length of their body and its long sleeves seemed to hang down farther than the person's hands, hiding even those. Their head was obscured by the purple garment's wide hood, which left only a fraction of their nondescript nose visible below its hanging form and their equally androgynous mouth and chin below it. No expression was worn on what was visible, though its soft human skin at least suggested it probably wasn't a monster.

The figure walked around in a daze for a short time, looking with interest upon the architecture and various decoration visible in the entrance hall. It always seemed captivated by what its unseen eyes fell upon, but the gaze never lingered long. Eventually it seemed to calm down under the new surroundings and approached the last known location of the castle's last four newcomers. The number three remained on a card on a table there, not yet taken. It spoke no words but curiously reached out with its right arm. It touched the card with the tip of its fingers even as its long sleeve continued to cover the entire length of its arm and act as a barrier between the car and the skin of its hand.

[yami]

SURPRISED!

Sora literally jumped up into the air. His head colliding with the canopy above, sending him back to the bed below. Only to bounce on the bed a few times before he settled. "Ow..." Sora mumbled before shaking his head. He'd then proceed to spring off said bed to run over to Kairi. "S-sorry to worry you, I wanted to leave early and then... oh no, now you're stuck here too."

Sora wasn't exactly coherent right now. How could he be? He'd been stuck in this room for three days! "Kairi, I've gotta show you something!" He then proceeded to single to her to follow him. He took careful steps, creeping as if he was an old fashion cartoon detective. Once he made his way to the chest of drawers, he'd point to it as the yellow orbs revealed themselves.

"I'm not sure why it's here, all I know is that we're stuck here."

Sora explained or tried to explain, there was lots to tell and Sora wasn't trying to get everything off his chest at once.
___________________________________

Another guest finally made it to the 'party'. This one more mysterious than ever, he picked up a card which indicated the number three. Upon the fingertip touching the card he'd be transported with a plume of smoke. His form would reappear within the Master Bedroom. There would be another guest there; the one and only Princess Jasmin. The closet was rumbling more and more now that the stranger arrived. The pounding was consistent, the material that reinforced the door was beginning to falter. Just what was the source of this racket?!

[♥ kats KAT kats ♥]

Upon picking number three Jasmine once again reappeared somewhere different, having been transported somewhere else. Possibly somewhere else in the castle? What was the point of choosing the number? This princess of heart did not know. How could she? She had simply come here on a whim, having been sent a invitation. Where were all the other quests? And this special guest that the letter spoke of?

She found her mind wandering else where as she looked towards the wilting flower, that gave off a eerie blue light. She was drawn towards it. She stepped forward lightly, the room was dark only accept for the blue light. The Iris seemed to fascinate her.

Suddenly she turned around, towards a closet. B-but there was rattling..N-no. More like loud pounding on the closet door. Her attention was drawn away from the iris and instead towards the closet. Was someone in there? Trapped in there? How many? She crept towards it more, wanting to investigate. To possibly help whatever was trapped inside the closet.

She grew closer to the door, her small feminine hand reaching towards the door handle. Her golden bracelets tinkering together as she moved her hand, slowly forward. She was close to the handle now, feet. Inches.. Centimeters. So close to it. So close to turning it. To revealing what exactly was inside.

She quickly turned around, facing a cloaked figure. Her long ebony black hair, swinging around as she faced whoever it was. "W-who are you?" She asked, faltering at first but then her voice became firm. The pounding didn't seize but only grew louder and more constant.

What exactly lay beyond that closet door? This young princess did not know... but could only wonder. Maybe possibly find out?

[Heroic Bilby]

Upon picking number three the cloaked mystery guest was once again transported against their will and reappeared somewhere different. Was this another part of the same castle? Was it because it had pointed to one of the numbers? The person hidden beneath the robe could not guess. How could they? They hadn't even meant to come here in the first place.

The yet voiceless one reacted with a start, darting its head to and fro at the changed surroundings in another burst of panic. Its flowing drab clothes ruffled from the movement and concealed all manner of what was within.

W-who are you?

It was asked by a firm-sounding voice. The stranger turned towards the source, not only because it meant somebody was present but also because of the now even louder pounding that emanated from the locked closet. It hunched a little and stepped backwards in what seemed to be a mix of concern and freight. Too much was happening for the poor soul, it seemed. Suddenly though the human's posture started to straighten out a little more, as if some level of willingness to be courageous had finally entered into its heart.

"What is going on?" the person asked in what was now a clearly female voice. She still sounded fairly timid and the large robe made it all but impossible to read body language, but at least her visible lips didn't seem to be trembling or gritting their teeth.

Where had it been taken and what was happening in this room with the strange woman and the rumbling closet? This uninvited guest could barely hazard a guess, let alone figure it all out. It may be, however, that she had no longer any choice but to do so.

[yami]

[glow=blue,2,300]"LET ME GO!"[/glow]

A voice yelled from within the closet which was cracking due to the sheer force. The voice in this case sounded like a young boy and no sooner---CRACK, CRUNCH! The door came off it's hinges possibly sending the princess of heart flying back. Garbed in black pants and a grey short sleeved shirt with a hood. So two females had just met in this strange place and now a boy was added to the mix. Will wonders ever cease, not if this lad had his way.

[glow=blue,2,300]"W-woah, you guys captured me...I don't believe this. Am I really this week, geez...Well prepare yourself!"[/glow]

Thus a blue light glowed around his form.

[Iris|Kairi]

Kairi stepped back, startled by his..various reactions. All she could do was blink at him with surprised brows, wondering if he was alright but having no time to ask him as he bounced around. Actually, the question was possibly already answered. This was not normal Sora behavior, if you could even use the word normal to describe Sora ever. It was possibly safe to say that her dear friend was indeed suffering from cabin fever.

"Stuck?" she asked curiously, crossing her arms over her chest. Stuck where? Here? They couldn't just leave? Well...if they could just leave, the Sora would've by now and wouldn't be acting crazy. Awesome. She didn't like the sound of "stuck". She was also becoming very worried. Something to show her?

With the way he was acting it couldn't be good. She was hopeful that it was..

Following him over to the drawers in a normal walk in contrast to his comical tip-toeing, she peered at the orbs. "...Have you tried to open the drawer all the way to see what it is?" she asked, reaching out to touch Sora's arm, as if somehow her doing so could calm the poor boy into a more coherent state. Kairi turned to him and smiled.

She wasn't afraid at all...not yet. Though it was only now that she noted the sounds outside the door, and that did make her skin crawl.

[♥ kats KAT kats ♥]

The princess saw the cloaked figure, she tried to make out who it was. Male or female. But couldn't. The banging on the closet door continued, she found herself glancing towards it. Should she let out whoever, or whatever was inside? But her attention was brought back towards the cloaked figure a 'she' asked...

What is going on?

"I believe you were, as well as myself, were mm transported here." The young princess said to the cloaked female person. "We're inside a castle, invited to a party.' She said to her, she wasn't quite sure how the cloaked female got here but maybe the same way she herself did.

She was then interrupted by a voice from inside the closet, it was muffled but she could still, though barely, make it out. LET ME GO! The door of the closet then came off it's hinges. Sending whoever was inside, flying out. Jasmine moved backwards, shocked. She stared at who had just come out of the closet. A young boy dressed in black pants and a grey short sleeved shirt with a hood.

W-woah, you guys captured me...I don't believe this. Am I really this week, geez...Well prepare yourself!

"We didn't capture you.." The princess of heart tried to explain. So, that boy had been making all of that racket?

[Heroic Bilby]

"A party?"

The woman sounded confused. She was clearly not expecting anything to do with a party. Just completely lost.

The woman also sounded exactly like Jasmine now, for that matter.

As the boy burst out of the closet attention was quickly thrown to him and his threats. What was going on in this castle? Jasmine was quick to announce their innocence for whatever the child was accusing them of. How could she have done anything? She had only just got here and was already startled enough as it is. As she looked over at the boy though suddenly caution was ground away by a growing lack of patience for this situation.

"Y-yeah, she's right...we're innocent. Besides,
its not our fault if you're weak. So don't go
throwing around threats... you got that!?"

And now Jasmine's voice was replaced by that of an adolescent young male. One that sounded more and more like their would-be captive with each sentence he spoke.