intro ♚ july

[boardmaster]

WELCOME TO CAISSA

We’ve all had those dreams: you wake up on a table, to blurry, ominous images and the certainty that you are absolutely buck-naked in a room full of strangers. This is not quite it.

Instead, you come awake to the sun on your face. The soft burble of water nearby. The hustle and bustle of a busy street and the faint, fortifying smell of bread. You open your eyes and there’s no one there at your bedside, but there is what appears to be the end of the world happening just beyond your window.

There’s a crack in the world across the sky, the “sun” is the totally unnatural light spilling from that crack straight into your eyes, and someone’s left a neatly pressed and folded uniform at the foot of the bed that isn’t yours. Somewhere in the room, there’s a strange clatter like beads, the click of claws on the floor.

Something’s in here with you.

Also, you are naked.

ONE ♟ Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo

Your Carriers and the floor nannies in your rooms relay, in unison and in the curt voice of Secretary Alexandre Verdoni, a public service announcement informing all Heroes of the Delphine Grand Ball, a masquerade hosted by the Gammonian Embassy to celebrate the Heroes’ successful defeat of Noir in the Lasker Incident and the safe arrival of international foccer superstar, Ryder Wreckham. It will be held tonight at 6 PM at the White Rose Multipurpose Function Building. There will be dancing, a live orchestra, a buffet and flowing drinks, and plenty of Blanc’s finest to schmooze with, so don’t miss it! The abrupt and lavish invitation might rattle the new arrivals, but those who’ve been here longer don’t seem surprised, and many don’t look very pleased, either.

Masks and formal wear are both said to be an absolute must, but if you’re strapped for cash or festive spirit, you could get away with wearing a clean Hero uniform. But why would you when Gammon’s elites are willing to provide Heroes with complementary masks, suits and dresses precisely for the occasion? And if you need any help with your clothes, hair, makeup, or date, don’t hesitate to ask your friends or the Hall of Glory’s maids and butlers for help.

As you get ready for the ball, your floor nannies may flip through a few radio stations to set the mood; one of them just so happens to be airing Voices from the Other Tide, a popular radio show based in Lasker’s The Shield. Its target audience is comprised of international refugees and immigrant communities, so you may have caught the show before during your stay in Lasker or your visits to Sparrow Towns all over the country.

Rocco Ricci: You are listening to Voices from the Other Tide! This fine Delphine evening, the suns are shining, the moons are just about to change color, and do YOU know where your trains are? I’m your host, Rocco Ricci, coming to you live from the center of The Shield! We’ve been looking at the fallout of the latest chapter in the war with Noir, the railway attacks that happened a few weeks ago right here in the heart of our very own city. I have with me today Nokoru Nokozaki, and it’s about that time. Time to let the survivors have their say, eh? What do you say, Nokozaki?

Nokoru Nokozaki: Ah, I’d like to say thank you for inviting me, and thank you very much for doing this show. I apologize if I am not able to give many clear answers, it was a very confusing time. A very confusing trip. I still don’t know how I survived, to be honest.

Ricci: Don’t sweat it, no sweat, eh? I’ll be asking all the questions and giving you half the answers, all you need to do is work with me and give our listeners a taste of what it was like, getting trapped in the middle of all that. Explosions and magic fireworks and what was that I heard, the Blanc military running around like chickens with their heads up their—

Nokozaki: Yes, thank you very much. It was a normal trip, to visit family in the— in The Shield, I believe you call this? I am not a refugee, but I know many who tried to settle in what we call the Blackest Empire, and tried to start again in the Lawless Lands, and failed. They came here, looking for something. I came here to see how they lived.

Ricci: Right, right, that’s how it always goes, isn’t it? Better bacon, better wallpaper, it’s what we’re all here for. Why, back when I was a— [ a sudden whine of feedback ] … Thank you, thank you, I’ll have that mic back. A recap for our listeners, a train with some 800 refugees was attacked and destroyed by Noir infiltrators just a couple weeks ago! Nokozaki here is one of the very few survivors. My condolences. Condolences.

Nokozaki: Thank you… It was lucky for me, I was in the mines in Shatranj. I have endurance, you know, I can walk very long distances without food, without water. No shelter. In the mountains we passed through, there is only bad weather. And when they blew up the train cars, we had to walk home on our own. Ah, but not home, you understand.

Ricci: I sure do. What was it, there was a rumor you came back with Commander de Lisbrand of the Blanc brass? There’s a firecracker if I’ve ever seen one — not that I’ve clapped my own eyes on her yet, may I be blessed — word has it she was stranded up in the mountains all on her lonesome for a while when Noir blew the whole army off the map, and she walked her fine self back to civilization! Why, we could do a whole segment on that alone!

Nokozaki: Is that not what we are doing? I assumed… I was to talk about my experiences marching with the Lady de Lisbrand, they are calling it the Iron March, I hear? She was not alone, but trapped in the mountain with a very small number of soldiers. And us, we were in the car with them when the bomb went off, but we did not know what had happened then. Only after we returned to Lasker…

Ricci: Oh, we know all about the Iron March! Is it true you all had to survive on rock moss and wild mountain cat?! Our listeners have gone wild with speculation! [ some rustling and clearing of throat ] But of course, of course you’re quite traumatized, I’m sure. A very difficult time. This is just one of many, many stories we’ve heard coming out of the Sorokina Mountains in recent days, and many more of them feature our Lady de Lisbrand. Stay tuned for some important upcoming guests, several of whom are still searching for family members gone missing in the chaos…

Despite the flurry of preparations and rumors flying about the ball in every alleyway, not everyone is interested in Delphine’s most prestigious event. Many of Caissa’s most eligible maidens have never danced at something so public! Some otherwise upstanding citizens just can’t be bothered to go, especially since they’re not the ones getting sponsored for free clothes. What’s the point in dropping half a year’s worth in wages on a fancy suit and tie or a ball gown?

For those who don’t wish to have anything to do with Blanc’s upper echelon or its martial celebrations, Uptown Caissa is abuzz with the biggest civilian event of the month: Festivale de la Ceinturonne, named after the sparkling, silver galaxy you can see on clear, summer night skies.

How about you, Hero? Which celebration will you choose? Or perhaps you'd like to double dip?

TWO ♟ Delphine Grand Ball

As two men in dapper suits greet you with synchronized bows and throw open the doors to the grand ballroom, the mellow strains of a live orchestral waltz flow out, filling the extravagant hall with the sound of soulful strings and whimsical woodwinds. Beautifully-dressed dancers move in pairs on the marble floor, swaying and gliding under a brilliant, crystal sky of chandeliers. The large, open arches that line the west side of the hall are decorated with massive velvet curtains that billow gently in the night breeze and hide both shyer dancers and small tables of finger foods. Young, passionate couples and colleagues in cahoots alike—sometimes it’s hard to distinguish the two—throng the balconies outside, enjoying the clear starred sky and the glow of Oubliette close at hand.

The crown jewel of the evening is, of course, the exquisitely bedecked and room-length tables laden with high-class food and drink the likes of which neither you nor the vast majority of ordinary Caissans have ever seen or heard. And they keep bringing out more! No spot on the table is to be left bare for the remainder of the evening! (Gerald, Hall of Glory Head Butler, highly recommends the champagne!) Some tables, however, might hold familiar dishes from French and British—er, Blanc and Gammonian cuisine. Most eye-catching are the tiered displays of pastel marshmallow cups and the tall and ornate fondue fountains of cascading chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla. They’re a homage to the mallow-colored moon of Delphine, the goddess of love, and tradition suggests you share a mallow with someone you care about.

Blanc’s richest and most influential are all present and accounted for. If they’re not waltzing or eating caviar, then they will be conversing among themselves over exquisite wine. Some try to catch the attention of Ryder, whose giant and suspiciously realistic fur coat and suit look wholly inappropriate for the weather. He smokes an expensive-looking pipe encrusted with diamonds while a small, diligent bodyguard serves as his very own footrest. Prime Minister Thierry Toussaint mingles with the noblest of families, his mask adorned with feathers that fall nearly to the floor. Both individuals are as sought after as they are difficult to approach… You’d have better luck simply mingling with other VIPs and soliciting their opinions.

Most are full of hot air and idle gossip, but some express open discontent with Ryder’s views; must be that speech he made a while ago. Others take issue with the Prime Minister’s handling of affairs; still others have whispered doubts of Secretary Verdoni’s loyalties to share with you; Commander de Lisbrand does not escape scrutiny either, despite not being present. There’s also talk of the new wave of Blanc leadership, though you can never quite get a name to go with the ambitious rumors. However, you will notice that, despite their poisonous tongues, Blanc’s best and brightest seem to be quite taken with you!

This is your chance. What you say to the VIPs can influence their opinions of Blanc’s leadership, the Lasker incident, and Blanc’s course of action from here on out, for better or for worse. (You are allowed to control the unnamed VIP NPCs. What did you tell them?)

THREE ♟ Wish Upon A Star

Maybe you looked at the people around you, the ones you’d be dancing and schmoozing and seen with in the papers the morning after, and thought, ”Not happening.” Perhaps the ballroom is too grand, the people too snazzy, or the music too classy; it makes your head spin right round. Some fresh air and eavesdropping on the veranda may just clear your head.

On the way out, you may notice a certain someone sitting at one of the veranda tables, surrounded by paperwork and a delicately stacked pile of beignets. Shouldn’t Secretary Verdoni allow himself to celebrate for once in his life? Upon closer (and discreet) inspection, it looks as if the paperwork is exclusively composed of reports on the Lasker incident. Does Verdoni look increasingly unhappy the deeper he digs into the stack? It’s also possible his face is just stuck that way.

It may be best to leave him to his work; though trying to engage him in conversation will lead to:

Verdoni Do I look like I have the time to speak with you? [ he says briskly, but relents quickly ] Perhaps just a moment. The situation in Lasker is improving, thanks to your efforts. Well done. Your work in reaching out to residents of The Shield has eased tensions, though it’s still a long ways away from what I’d consider good. Of course, our work is never done. [ his gaze flicks back to the paperwork before him; it’s clear by ‘our’ he means ‘my’ ] That’s not even getting into the reports I’ve been hearing from Petrosian. People disappearing, strange things in the river… it may be nothing, but keep your eyes open.

Should you leave the premises entirely and walk on through Uptown Caissa, you’ll find the chance to experience an entirely different aspect of Blanc culture. Around this time of the year, the week-long Festivale de la Ceinturonne is taking place in the streets and skies of the capital: the people of Caissa are heavily encouraged to write poetry about their dreams and desires so as to receive blessings from Delphine, goddess of love and the arts. These small wishes are folded and tied to trees around the Oubliette Temple Shrine.

Many commoners appear cheerful as they gather and offer their wishes to Delphine. The bright, star-shaped lanterns hanging from buildings and trees create a mellow atmosphere and attract crowds of lovey-dovey couples around who seem too happy to have wishes at all. Maybe you feel up to taking a peek at some of the local merchandise: colored cookies and good luck charms lovingly made in bird and mermaid shapes, or well-coveted couple bracelets with two parts that make one whole. But be careful! Losing your bracelet is said to bring bad luck!

The streets are also absolutely bustling with errant performers of all kinds, many of whom tell their own versions of the story of la Ceinturonne: said to be the sash of Delphine herself stretched across the sky in a river of stars, it separates the famous doomed couple of legend. The bluebird Ilatar and the mermaid weaver Geva are said to have been cursed by Delphine for their carelessness, and may only meet once a year at the mouth of the great river. Some performers may be looking for helping hands to play roles in the story! Let your inner thespian shine!

But not everyone can be happy, even once a year: the rumblings of civil unrest in Lasker have increased in volume ever since the train attacks. Many of the aforementioned street performers this year seem to have added a political or darker bend to our annual tale of great romance: in some versions, Ilatar and Geva backstab Delphine outright, while in others, the river itself turns against the lovers, and so on and so forth. A great deal of graffiti has been smeared over the pristine walls behind the temple, lambasting the Prime Minister for selling his country to the Gammonian and Noir old money.

If you wish to quell the unrest, you may put on counter performances, clean the graffiti, or invent your own, more creative means of quieting the people. Be advised, though: Blanc’s masses have had their eyes opened, and it will take some fancy footwork to close them again.

INFO ♟ Welcome!

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Comments

[acknowledges]

That's not-

[His own expression squints, tight with confusion. This is the first time Naruto's heard anything even resembling a detail about how they got here. All this while he'd assumed that the people in charge were the ones that did it.]

What?

So they weren't just lyin' about not being able to send us back?

[sediments]

I don't think so.

[ It's something that Bolin had learned very shortly after first arriving, and the revelation was incredibly disheartening. ]

Some other Heroes cornered the Prime Minister and asked him, but he said that he had no idea how we ended up here. No one does. We're kind of like gifts? Saviours? I don't know, but I guess that's why they treat us so well. [ His gaze drops a little. ] That's why they don't know how to send us back either.

I mean, that's what they said.

[ Who knows how much of it is true. ]

[acknowledges]

[Somewhere in this dance, the distribution of their weight has shifted. Naruto begins to lead, despite the way their hands and arms rest around one another.]

Is that why you didn't know what to say?

[sediments]

Huh? [ Bolin just shoots the younger boy a puzzled stare, not sure what the circumstances of their mysterious arrivals had to do with the train attack. ] What do you mean?

[acknowledges]

[Naruto has always seen things in circles- the places where one thing connects to another and another and another. For him, life in Caissa is an extension of his life back home, even if they are literal worlds apart.]

Like since we're not from here, we don't really belong answering questions like that.

[sediments]

[ Ah, well. ]

No. [ He honestly hadn't even thought of it that way. Native or not, they'd been tangled into the affairs of the war enough that they should be allowed an opinion. ] We're not from here, but we're still fighting the war. We should get some say in what the outcome of our effort should be, right?

[ He sighs a little, feeling frustration bubbling in his chest from not knowing what to do; not knowing what the right thing to say is. Right and wrong always seemed simpler when he had Korra to depend on. ]

[acknowledges]

Maybe.

[As time has progressed, and as Naruto has come to see the differences between his village and the people around them, he's learned to question the beliefs he'd always had. It would be easy to say that they should have some weight in what happens in this war, but at the same time-]

But we're not gonna have to live with it after, are we?

[sediments]

That's true. [ Bolin's expression crumples further into something, like he's trying really hard to wrap his brain around the multitude of factors that affecting the situation at hand and failing miserably.

He sighs, head dropping and shoulders slumping as his "dance" becomes more of a drag, the complexity of the problem that they're dealing weighing on him. Surely it shouldn't be so difficult to just to want to help.

There's also ]

Or... who knows. We could be here for years.

[acknowledges]

Hey.

[The word is sharp, a jerk that's reinforced by a tug on Bolin's hand and the sudden adjustment of their positions. It's his turn to lead. Naruto's arm wraps itself around the narrow part of Bolin's waist, his palm warm and solid, as his opposite hand catches his fingers.

This is the way declarations are made, promises and vows.]

If we're here for years, then I'm gonna be here with you. And so will all your new friends.

If this'll really be our new home, then we'll make it a place to be proud of.

[sediments]

[ It catches his attention; both the action and Naruto's words. He's a little thrown as well - by both - because it feels a little less lighthearted now, in the form of their dance, the movements changing with their mood. It's beyond Bolin just finding the idea of two guys dancing amusing. It feels like a method of communication.

The sentiment warms his heart, because he likes the idea of an enduring friendship. He's comforted to know that the other boy finds it important.

But he's also surprised, not entirely relieved. ]

Would you be okay with that? [ It's hard to grasp. He'd seen it before in Asuna, he said that this country is more hers than the place she knew back home, but he can't wrap his head around it. ]You don't want to go back home?

[acknowledges]

Of course I wanna go back home.

[He doesn't say it as though he's shocked, or horrified to be asked in the first place- but that's because Naruto can follow the thought with ease.]

I grew up in Konoha. I might not've had parents, but the village has become my family. Lots of things need to be changed, and there are lots and lots of things I haven't finished yet.

But if I couldn't, I can't just spend my life here living in regret.

[This close it's easy to angle his chin enough that he can catch Bolin's gaze.]

My time here isn't meaningless. Maybe we didn't choose to come here, but we can choose to make it a good place now that we are.

[sediments]

[ He still looks puzzled, like he can't reconcile the two things that Naruto is saying: the desire to return home, and the ability to make peace with living here. Maybe it's a level of maturity that Bolin has yet to achieve, or just something more enduring in Naruto, more positive and forward thinking.

But he wants to understand, so he keeps questioning. ]

It's one thing to make the best of your time here, though. But would that be good enough? Would you try to do everything in your power to get back? [ And most importantly: ] When would you stop trying?

[ Bolin has resolved himself to be less estranged with this place—it isn't in his character to carry himself separately from the general populace anyway, and his behaviour hadn't matched the words he claimed to describe his feelings for Enprise. His heart's too warm to keep his life here at a distance.

But the idea that he could settle here, as much as he knows it might be futile to remain fixated on getting home, makes him feel like he's abandoning his brother. Him and Mako may have gone in separate directions during the time that Korra was recovering, seeing each other less and less, but he doesn't know how to settle for a life without his brother. ]

[acknowledges]

[His head shakes, as if he's trying to dispel a fog. In a way Naruto probably is- the difference is the way in which they think of things. The language Bolin uses is familiar, but ultimately it's the weighing of one thing against another. One place against another. One people against another. One need against another.]

I don't think I'd ever stop trying.

[Around them the dancers step away, one partner spinning the other in a slow circle before they come back together. Naruto follows them without thinking, as if he's practiced this. He hasn't.]

But why's it gotta be "good enough"attebayo? Things don't really work that way. D'you think about how it wasn't good enough to lose your parents? Or that it wasn't good enough to do rocks and not fire?

[Now that he thinks about it, it seems like a lot of his conversations with Bolin have been about comparisons. Like back when they'd talked about their dreams, about how Bolin thought his weren't very good compared to his friends. This close he barely has to turn his head at all to meet his gaze.]

I think sometimes bad things happen, and I think you know that too. But we don't have to give up on old things to find something precious in new ones. If the worst thing is that we can't go back, then even that'll be okay, because I'll be here with friends.

And so will you.

[sediments]

Because those aren't things I could do anything about.

[ He doesn't see the connection between the two things at all. Those were facts about his life outside of his control, and this, while seemingly impossible, might not be. There's no way of knowing if they don't explore it. ]

If we decide that we're not satisfied by being here, doesn't it make sense to push more for information about how to get back? Maybe not right now, because they need to focus on protecting the country but...

[ Naruto seems so at peace with his circumstances. As though both outcomes are all right: staying here or going back. It's not as though Bolin plans to live in misery if the end result is that he'll need to spend the rest of his days here; people adapt and he's dealt with loss before. But to someone that hasn't undergone that process of acceptance yet, that future is heartbreaking. ]

[acknowledges]

I'm not about to just give up.

[Their next turn brings them in close to another couple, moving slowly and steadily around one another.]

And I don't think you should either.

But if we do everything we can and it doesn't work, if this really will be our new home even after the war's over and everything, that'll be okay. Won't it?