Voice testing and a little shakey. Spoilers probable.

[unbrokencircle]

I suppose this is better than being locked up in the tower. But not by much.

Just what are your plans, Mundane? I hope they don't include keeping me caged somewhere.

I don't do well in cages.

Comments

[falseshepherd]

I get the gist that's what those "games" really are. Just a cage with a fancy name and a pretty package.

[unbrokencircle]

[There's a sigh of relief when she sees Booker. Small but not completely imperceptible.]

That's what I've heard. [The other muses in the headspace are quite enlightening. :|] Fortunately, it doesn't seem to be in her plans to send me anywhere. But I've heard mundanes are ficke, and I'd rather not be at the whims of one.

[falseshepherd]

[ Elizabeth gets a brief look over- it's not like it's in his ability to go after one of these mundane...things if they whisk her away, but he'd try his damnedest. ]

I'm surprised you haven't put a stop to yours already. [ ...wait, Booker, don't mind that thought- ] Can't you tear through?

[unbrokencircle]

It's a dead end, either way. It seems she has others that she keeps around though, some more powerful than me.

[The embodiment of hope itself, a wizard, a couple of magical girls, and Batman..... just to name a few.]

Though, she leaves me more freedom than anyone in Columbia allowed. She just hasn't tried anything... more drastic.

[YET.]

[falseshepherd]

They can't do this to us! [ A moment's explosion, smothered in the next instant. He runs a hand back through his hair, frustration in the gesture. ]

We're not their playthings, god damnit, and they sure as hell aren't our masters. [ His mun seems to like collecting soldiers of a stripe, men and women dedicated to some worthy, noble cause, enough to add weight to Booker's sure assumption he didn't belong here, his cynicism a bitter tang. She's got a Green Lantern, whatever that guy's title means, knights, assassins, clergy and clerics. People with epic, inspiring tales meant to stir some force of good within their listeners, no doubt. Booker's just a guy doing his job.

Maybe his is a cautionary tale. ]

Mine has me dead set for some kind of- [ "reprogramming" isn't in his lexicon ] -of retooling. I don't know what all she wants to do, just that at the end of the day I'll be someone else, in some far off future. [ Yeah, Save the Earth, fuck you. ]

[bookedher]

[ Alice tries a tentative, comforting smile. ] I don't think that you are going to be caged.

[unbrokencircle]

What gives you that impression?

[Granted, she doesn't want to be rude, she just has seen what mundanes are capable of...]

[bookedher]

Maybe it is just my mun, but she's been very good to me. After all...she lets me see my daughter.

[unbrokencircle]

I have the good fortune of being one of the "quieter" muses for her, so perhaps your judgement is correct. [Especially given one is rather loud and obnoxious Mun's description, not lizzies]

But I've found, recently, that it's better to count on things going wrong.

[Yeah. she missed that whole. Daughter thing... Sorry mom, she's distracted and doesn't wanna be put in a game :C]

[bookedher]

Now that's not the way to go through life. Yes, things can go wrong, but things can also go right. And if you continue looking at everything with such a negative connotation...what kind of life are you going to live?

[ Oh bb girl ....Booker get your ass over here and hug your daughter. ]

[unbrokencircle]

I just want to make sure that what needs to be fixed... is. [There'd been so much destruction, and despite booker's assurance that it wasn't their fault... she couldn't help but feel some responsibility.] After that I can hope that things will go right.

[She needs a hug and a dance. :T ]

[bookedher]

You will get things right. You're a terrific little lady, aren't you? You have your father's stubborn devotion.

[ And to see Booker try dancing...it's funny as well bb girl when he tries a foxtrot. ]

[unbrokencircle]

[Wait wait wait. Hollup hollup hollup.]

You know my father?

[Comstock had stolen her from another world, called her his daughter. But to think someone knew where she actually came from--]

[bookedher]

If I had not, then you would not have been born.

[ Mama's got seniority. ]

[unbrokencircle]

[....]

I don't understand.... You're my mother.

[Helluvalot better then a screaming banshee ghost.]

[bookedher]

Well you had to get your good looks from somewhere, didn't you?

[ someday in the multiverse, Alice and Lady Comstock will sit down, have tea, and discuss religion...and how men can be buttfaces, only on Alice's side, it's definitely...pleasant. ]

[unbrokencircle]

Then, you know who my real father is?

[...DUH.]

[bookedher]

Ha! [ She chuckles. ] I told Booker that our you would have my wits.

[hedonismbot]

Cages can be delightful, but only under certain circumstances. I suggest you discuss it with your mun and attempt to find a more pleasing diversion.

[unbrokencircle]

[Robots ain't even no big dee to Elizabeth at this point.

And somehow you end up tagging all my posts hedonismbot how is this]

This appears to be her 'pleasing diversion'. I'd suggest reading if I thought she'd listen to me.

[hedonismbot]

[I just tag posts that interest me!]
Insist that whatever diversion she comes up with be pleasing to both of you. After all, the entertainer has so much more power than the entertained, and she relies on your good will to accomplish her various diversions.

[unbrokencircle]

[well glad to know my posts interest you]

...I suppose you're right. It'd be better to work with her then against. I just don't like the idea of being forced into a partnership without any say in the matter.

[booker was enough. really.]

[hedonismbot]

Do not be afraid to exert your influence. After all, it would become extremely difficult for her to put you someone without at least your tacit support... Not impossible, but difficult.

And in my experience, if you make things difficult enough for a mun, they tend to either leave you alone or finally compromise on something that works for both of you

[unbrokencircle]

You seem very knowledgeable in these matters. You must have a lot of experience dealing with mundanes.

[stfuporom]

So, say you had the freedom to do anything you wanted. What would you do with it?

[Yes, you are being tested here.]

[unbrokencircle]

I'd like to visit Paris.

[:,| ONE DAY SHE WILL GET THERE.]

[stfuporom]

...where?

[unbrokencircle]

...In France.

[...you know. THE PARIS.]

[stfuporom]

Nope.

[No Paris where he's from kiddo.]

But that's not important. Why there?

[unbrokencircle]

[She really wouldn't know any different at the moment, she's had to swallow a whole other slew of "Alternate Universes" one without Paris seems unimaginable.]

I've been locked up as long as I can remember, in a tower with a bird as a guard... [A pause as she considers that] No, a warden.

It always seemed to be filled with people and art and lights. I'd want to see it, just once. To know what it was like to live somewhere surrounded by people.

[stfuporom]

...

[Wow... that genuinely sucks. But since this is Palom, he can't just... focus on that.]

But that sounds like any city can do, if that's your criteria.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

Some games are better than others in the 'cage' aspect.

[unbrokencircle]

I've only heard a bit about them. And most of them don't seem to be all that appealing, to be honest.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

There's certainly a lot of them, and quite a few are dangerous such as my game.

Make sure you're careful.

[unbrokencircle]

I've heard there's almost as many possibilities as one can imagine.

These... people seem very powerful, like we shouldn't be calling them "mundane" at all.

[Especially considering they had powers very similar to hers. Even more far reaching and immediate.]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

They're not the ones with power.

My mun said that they simply guide us to things.

too soon?

[notagnusdei]

Neither do I. I've had nightmares of being locked up.

lmfao i don't think so

[unbrokencircle]

[...oh good. Another version of herself. Or something It's really hard to keep track nowadays]

Only nightmares? I lived in one for my entire life.

awesome cause that ending why

[notagnusdei]

[ Pretty much. Meanwhile, Anna is still adapting. ]

Only. They felt real, though. But it's just all in my head.

[ Anyway, time to change the subject. ]

I'm not sure exactly what mine has in store for me, but I'll be prepared. Somehow.

[dr_redacted]

Though it tends to be tedious work to keep someone like you in a cage, it is sometimes a necessity.

I do understand that from a personal perspective, you may not see it that way.

[royal_protector]

I would expect that no one does.