Cloudsea - The Chronicle of Alice Van Vaugen

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"I still maintain that he isn't crazy. He's a lot of things, but he's- It's hard to put into words. . . He's. . ."

"Criminally Lucid?"

". . .Sure. We're going to follow him. Then I'm going to have a glass of water to calm myself down, then I want something alcoholic."

"Hm. Never would have taken Aliss for a drinker."

"I've only had a few sips throughout my life, unless you count the drinking I did in my dreams."

". . . Is this Viss' chance to get closer to Aliss? Viss can show Aliss so many delightful drinks!"

". . .You know, one is usually supposed to keep the sinister planning as internal monologue."

"Viss' internal monologue is busy at all times with much more important things. Besides, if Aliss was bothered now, just wait until we have a few! Qhen is a lightweight and a baby. Just you watch."

"Qhen is not having anything alcoholic as long as they have to play bodyguard to you two, and this maniac. He keeps mumbling to himself."

"Hm? Hm Mm. HmHmm. The voices, your voices use that common tongue, hm, Allison?"

"My name- Isn't actually Allison- Whatever. Your voices don't?"

"No- No no. They talk to me in dead languages. I had to do a lot of research. A lot of research, to get it right. I know a lot of languages. Maybe some of them are made up. I'm not sure anymore. And I already told you, I don't know what my name is."

"Huh? Oh- I don't have any control over them. I'm surprised they can talk to you."

"If you need something to refer to me by, I guess you can refer to me by the name on all the books I have in my possession, which means my name is Earl Viscount."

". . ."

". . .YOU'RE Earl Viscount?!"

"Oh, you read my drivel, huh? It helps pay for my various addictions. . ."

". . .Are we there yet? I've changed my mind. I need a drink now."

"Hm. Yes. Here we are."

Earl opened the door, and wandered inside. Delightful music poured out of the building, along with a cloud of other sounds and smells. Qhen followed immediately. Viss looked at Alice for a moment, before heading inside. Alice stood outside by herself for a little bit. She looked around. Everything felt odd. Of course, it doesn't help that the sights were all alien to her. All these buildings were more. . . Modern? Something about their design.

But there was something else off. It was something unsettling. Like having a word on the tip of your tongue but being unable to remember what it was. Or waking up after having a great idea and being unable to put it down onto paper. Or. . . the mysterious smell that comes before a rain storm.

She wondered how much about the world she didn't know about. She stepped back, and looked up at the sign.

. . .

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". . .E- ... Empty?"

". . ."

"Empty?"

Alice looked up at the sign. She reached down to her hip and checked her firearm. It popped into her hand. She broke open the action and checked that there was a shell loaded. She closed it, and put it away, then pulled it out again, just to make sure.

She opened the door, and her skin got goosebumps when she crossed through.

It was a lovely little place, but everything sort of hit her at once. All these weird contrasts. The building's exterior was stone and metal. The interior was beautiful wood. It also felt bigger on the inside than the outside. The moment the door had closed, it had shut the sounds from coming outside, but the opposite was also the same. When the door closed, it was almost like she forgot where she came from.

The kinds of people that were here were varied- more than varied. . . Is that a word for that? Alice could only guess that the people all dressed the same were waiters- They were carrying trays after all, but they were all fairly unique also. There were almost half a dozen tables. Long padded seats covered most of the walls, with tables set up in front of them. The bar was long but-

The bar! There was some very small, somewhat older looking gentleman sitting behind the bar on top of a stool. His eyes were closed, and his brow was furrowed... and bottles and glasses and all sorts of things swirled around him like a small whirlwind.

Her head was starting to hurt again. She was only just now aware of the fact that someone was tapping her on the wrist. It was one of the wait staff.

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"I take it this is your first visit to our fine establishment?"

"Wh- Ah- Yes. . ."

"If you wait for a moment, we can find you a seat. . ."

"Ah- No- My. . . My crew came in here just a few minutes ago. A dhemon, slightly shorter than myself, and a blue drahke. They were following an odd little man who smokes a lot and hides his fatigue behind dark glasses. . .?"

"- Oh, you're talking about Mr. Viscount. I think he slurred something about there being fourth. He wanted a private table. They're over there."

"Th-Thank you."

Alice bowed a little to the wait staff, who gave her an odd look before going back to work. She slowly worked her way through the place, glancing everywhere as discreetly as possible. The thing that most caught her attention was the music. Believe it or not? She does not get to hear music very often. Music is expensive.

But this place had. . . Musicians. There was for it. Band? Band. There was a band here, all dressed in very nice clothes, although their styles all clashed. It was less like an organized-thing, and more like a group of friends who showed up and just happened to bring instruments. The music was also quite similar, in design.

She watched them play, as she sat at the table. She was aware of Qhen attempting to hold a conversation with 'Mister Viscount'. Talking about his works of writing, and how he could manage to write all of those books and not really remember it. Viss was trying to look like she was enjoying herself, but it was clear to Alice that she was on edge. Her hand wasn't on her weapon, but if she could, she probably would just have it out already.

An object dropped in front of Alice. She glanced at it. A menu.

Alice opened the menu and began to glance through it. They offered so many things that she had never heard of. Luckily, they offered descriptions underneath, but that didn't exactly help her. She closed it and put it down on the table in front of her.

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"I shouldn't have left home."

"Huh? Why not?"

"This place, it's too big. There's too many people. It's all so- heavy."

"We haven't even been here long enough to get a drink! . . . But if Aliss is not feeling good, perhaps we should go back to the ship. . ."

"Uh- Hey. What is her muse's theme?"

". . . Wh..?"

"Don't you what me, young lady. You saw what I wrote down, and you didn't even once question me being able to hear those weird little voices. Of course I know what's going on. I'm high, not stupid. Look at me, I write best sellers!"

". . .I- Don't know. . .? I call them. . ."

Earl pushed his glasses up and got a good look at Alice, squinting one eye shut, chewing hard on the end of his cigarette holder. A few moments later Alice's vision suddenly pitched upwards and she was aware that she had hit her head, but it didn't hurt. She was very tired. She was getting tired of being tired. Was her entire life going to be punctuated with surprise-attack-naps?

The lights go out.

Alice has become unconscious, and where she currently is, you are unable to observe her or anybody else around her. This carries over to her dreamscape, as Empty is also currently unavailable.

You can wait for Alice to awaken, or attempt to contact Qhen or Viss, or, for an odd change, you are still currently capable of interacting with 'Earl Viscount'.

( ) Wait for Alice to Reawaken
( ) Try to find Empty or Alice's Dreamscape
( ) Try to switch to Qhen
( ) Try to switch to Viss
( ) Switch to Earl