[Action/Accidental Video] -Another place and time-without a warning sign-

[reflecting_ghost]

[The video part is at a weird angle, and the first view is actually a large, dark eye, slit pupil dilated with the angle and bad lighting at the moment; there's a funny trill and then a good view of this biting at the screen curiously, and - is that a skirt behind it?]

Ah! No, that's not food-

[And that's Chrome retrieving the Blackberry from the raptor hatchling, scooping her up with her other hand...then doing a double-take with a squeak as she realizes the Blackberry's on.]

[Needless to say, it's off pretty fast.]

[For those who're looking or out wandering around the Visitor's Center and Hotel, Chrome is sitting on the steps on a side hallway out of the main room of the Visitor's Center, under the infamous "When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth" banner; she's being quiet, and curled up against the wall cuddling the raptor hatchling, looking out over the Center distantly.]

[She didn't have a clue what was going on or where she was, or even who else might be here; she'd managed to do a little bit of looking around to see if there was anything familiar, but that'd turned up blank, and she didn't feel up to wandering outside just yet into a strange jungle, roads and signs or no. She'd briefly considered trying to see if Mukuro was paying attention, but decided against it; for whatever reason, he apparently didn't want her around right now, an as much as she wasn't sure why, she did get the feeling bothering him to ask for help would be a bad idea.]

Comments

[pineapple_fairy]

[Well, naturally Mukuro knew the moment she arrived in the manor, and just as naturally went out to look for her, which was, admittedly, easier said than done. While he could lock on to her general location, getting the specifics were difficult. Luckily he had his box weapon to do most of the legwork for him.

It wasn't too long after the broadcast until the owl flew over the girl's head and perched on a ledge above her, looking down on the girl. Not even a moment after, the clacking of boots on the floor can be heard as he approaches the girl from behind, a soft smile on his face.]

Chrome.

[It was all that needed to be said. While he was not aware what point she was actually from, he knew that at the moment it did not matter. It would take a long time for Chrome to so much as consider disobeying him, and seeing as she made no effort to support her organs on her own she was still reliant on him. He was most pleased with this little turn of events to say the least.]

[reflecting_ghost]

[She turned to look at the owl and the footsteps, stuck somewhere in between relief and being glad to see him, and uncertainty - she hadn't exactly had time to figure out what Mukuro'd wanted and what she'd done wrong, but it didn't look like she was in trouble?]

[There was a small, almost voiceless squeak as the tiny raptor got turned into a scaly security-blanket.] M-mukuro-sama?

[Well - if they're somewhere unfamiliar - then maybe - ] Wh...where are we?

[pineapple_fairy]

[He eyed the lizard momentarily. He said nothing and his expression remained in that passive smile, he did not approve of it. There were more important matters at hand. For one, she seemed to only be slightly unused to his presence somehow, and perhaps a bit on edge. She had seen him in his physical body before then. Otherwise she would have reacted how she had in the future. So she at least came from somewhere from the events with Spade. Though he did not yet have enough to glean exactly where. He would play ignorance for the time being. It would give him time to figure out when he should claim to be (since he was certainly not going to tell her the truth). The other important matter was her obvious ignorance of where she was. So she had no recollection of previous events. For the better, really.]

You are in a place called the manor. Think of it as a grand illusion that ensnares people from various worlds and times. There are events on a weekly or biweekly basis, and it is all run by an ignorant young girl that the others who were held captive here have ominously dubbed the 'Author'. This week, we appear to be in some sort of park from a movie I am not familiar with.

[He casually glances around the room, his expression still refusing to show any of his distaste for it.]

There is no way to get out as far as I can tell. Though the Author's powers do make it interesting enough not to be a complete waste of time.

[reflecting_ghost]

[And all of that had the added note that this was someone who'd managed to ensnare Mukuro, which was, itself, more than a bit ominous, considering that she ... couldn't really remember having heard of someone succeeding at catching him in an illusion.]

[And if he's aware of things changing weekly or biweekly...] ...How ... long have you been here?

[She's still being cautious - she doesn't want to overstep bounds, but if he's been here for any length of time, and he was just there a few days ago "back home", then he could be from some time in the past, or some time in the future - and it'd be another thing that was worrisome about this place, if it was meddling with time more chaotically than the bazooka.]

[pineapple_fairy]

A number of months. I initially arrived last May, though there have been a few occasions where I disappeared for a time.

[He begins walking to a place that he can sit to explain such things in detail. It was a tedious task, but the possible risks of Chrome either going uninformed or worse having some dolt either lie or explain things poorly were too great. Thus, he took a seat and beckoned Chrome to follow suit.]

The other has a habit of doing some peculiar things. The first time I disappeared it was for merely a week by the manor's time, but I had gone from the time of our battle with the Arcobaleno Mammon, up until the incident regarding Spade.

[Not yet elaborating which part of the incident, still prodding at what she knew about the events.]

The second time I vanished from this place, I was not aware I had left in the first place and I had apparently been gone for a couple of months. You have been here as well believe it or not, and yet you seem to remember nothing.

[He lets out a little chuckle to ease her, knowing saying such a thing may make her fear she was in trouble.]

But that is not uncommon here as well.

[reflecting_ghost]

[She's following from a few feet behind, enough to keep a respectful distance while still staying close by, and following where he's indicating to sit and listen, still carrying the raptor hatchling.]

[It... meant that they had to be fairly close in terms of when they were from - which meant that either he was from closer to, or during, things with Spade, or that something about the time he'd been here had invalidated sending her away.]

[She didn't remember anything - that it happened was something that did help, although...]

It's ... not like there's anything missing - the last thing I remember was staying in Namimori... [Well, there is an idea, after the ten years later timeline, particularly if it's that scrambled here, but Mukuro would know something like that, right?]

[pineapple_fairy]

Yes, there seems to be some sort of temporal warp here. No time will have passed from the time we arrive until the time we leave. Another of the Author's little magic tricks.

[He waves a hand to dismiss that segment in favor of another one. If Chrome had questions, she could wait until he was finished speaking to address them.]

Now, as you can clearly see the Author has the power to do as she pleases with us, and she abuses this power regularly. Whether through our surroundings or our physical bodies. This may mean that there are times which I may not be able to maintain your organs, you will need to keep vigilant, especially on Monday mornings.

[He smiles fondly at her for a brief touch of encouragement.]

But I am sure you will fare well on it, regardless.

[reflecting_ghost]

[She nods quietly; she's not sure she could manage for very long, but if they're in the same place, then there'd have to be something that could be done, and she's managed before - as much as keeping it up for more than a few minutes took the Ring to help.]

[At least Mukuro is here, and doesn't seem to still want her to be elsewhere; with the signal, she's going to wait to be sure he's done.]

[pineapple_fairy]

Furthermore, as I said, you have been here before and thus there are people who have made your acquaintance before. Many of them are of little to no consequence, but there are two noteworthy ones I would like you to make now of. First off there is Hakuba Saguru. His hair is dark blonde, short with a wave to it, brown eyes, moderate build. He also has a peculiar accent. You are to avoid him at all costs. He is not an enemy, but he is extremely perceptive and is fully capable of gathering information from the slightest of tells. That said he is also one of us, and he has his uses.

[The meaning behind 'us' is fairly obvious. He also has no consideration of Saguru's position on being inducted into the Kokuyo gang. He lost his say in the matter a good while ago.]

Now, the other person of interest is Teru Mikami. He is... a work in progress so to speak. Neither he nor Saguru have much in the ways of physical prowess, but I have taken to the way they think. Teru is a man of morals, and he's nearly unshakable. I would like to preserve him as such. So do regard him respectably and give him aide should he need it.

[And with that he removes one of the Vongola earrings and hands it to her. Without Fran around she will need to be the one he relies on as a power boost. As well as the most viable host should he need to abandon his body for one reason or another.]

[reflecting_ghost]

[She understood being a Mist user well enough to not question why she'd be hiding from even someone that had been earmarked like that; information was power, and information could be dangerous, even with a slightly careless ally. She wouldn't leave someone, particularly "one of them", in danger if it came up, but that didn't mean she ever had to make herself known to Saguru; she gave a small nod to that, and to the instruction to look out for Mikami. There were few enough people important to Mukuro that a mention like that was meaningful.]

[The earring...she reached to accept that with a moment of awe; there wasn't much she could ask for as more confirmation that her presence had been accepted back. She folder her hands over it carefully with her head bowed, briefly.] Thank you. [She looked back up, still listening, but wasn't going to waste any more time putting the earring on, to be absolutely sure it was secure.]

[pineapple_fairy]

[Good. Things were settled, at last. He did not like being so long winded unless he got some sort of entertainment value in return, but he would not tolerate anything that could result in a flaw in any future plans. Now, just to be on the safe side he needed to be sure she understood all of that. Tedius, surely, but at the very least it was easier than explaining to Ken.]

Is there anything I have missed, or that you remain unsure of?