[I--oh, drat, am I doing this right? Well, let's see, maybe it's just like--ah!]

Hello! You've reached Rosella of Daventry. ...Well, you haven't exactly reached me, I suppose, since if you had, you'd already be talking to me rather than listening to this message. But I'd love to speak with you, so if you'll please leave me a message, I'll be sure to get in touch with you as soon as possible!

[There, that was fine. Now I press...this--]


[OOC: Contact post, for getting a hold of Rosella IC when there's not a current or relevant post up in her journal. Enjoy! ♥]

( Private//Hackable by Friends )

Thanksgiving really is a lovely holiday, isn't it? It's such a nice idea, I think, spending a whole day celebrating and thinking about the things we're thankful for. Sometimes it's easy to forget just how many things there are to be thankful about, especially in the face of bad things that may come our way. It's a hard thing, living here in the City with the curses and all, but there's so much to be thankful for, too. There are wonderful people and astonishing things and opportunities that we never could've had if we'd never come here, and I'm thankful for all of them.

We don't have Thanksgiving in Daventry, though I rather wish we did. It's rather like Mother's Day, I suppose--another holiday I've celebrated here in the City that I'd never heard of until I came here, and one that I really would like to take back with me when I go home. It's such a nice idea. And I'm sure my father would particularly enjoy the part about having a great big feast with the whole family, too. Especially since pie seems to be one of the most important points of the whole celebration. He's never met a pie he didn't like, but pumpkin is one of the ones that he especially likes. And it'd be marvelous if I could figure out a way to take him some of that cream that comes in the funny can, to go with it, but I don't know how easy of a task that would be.

But the part that's important is the thanks, and that's something that anyone can do, anytime and anywhere. And I am thankful, very much so, even despite some of the awful things that have happened here. I'm not sorry I came to the City, and I'm thankful that I've made so many wonderful friends here. I wouldn't have ever had the chance to meet my best friend if I hadn't been brought here, and I rather think that's enough in itself to make all the rest of it worthwhile. And I'm thankful for the things I've learned, and the opportunities I've had, and the memories I've made and shared with all of you. Even the silly lessons, like learning to ignore most anything Kanda says. That awful twit.

I'm thankful that, even while I'm missing home, I can still somehow feel that I'm at home. And I'm thankful that I have so many people I can count on, when I need them.

Blue, Miss Alice, thank you so much for having me the past few days. I really do appreciate it, and I'm sorry for the trouble I must've caused you, with the short notice and all. I won't impose any longer, and I'll find a way to make it up to you, I promise.


[OOC: And for those interested, my HMD thread is here!]

Tags: absence makes the heart go yonder, bad memories, bff =/= getting busy, curse: the architect--act one, daddy, daventry represent!, everything is ruined forever, gotta love that optimism, home is where the heart is, i love my friends, plot, post curse, rosella's journal, taking one for the team, there's no place like home
Current Mood: tired

[Filtered AWAY from Sam Witwicky | Blue's Codes | Unhackable]

I don't even know what to say but

For any friends of Sam Witwicky, he's in the hospital right now.

To anyone that normally has occasion to go in the buildings near the Warehouse, please take caution. There's a machine trap in one of them. I didn't see any others, but there might very well be more, so please don't go there at all if you can at all help it. It's dangerous.

I know a lot of his friends have left the City, but please, for anyone still here, I'm sure it would mean a lot to him to see you, when he's allowed to have visitors. Even if you can only spare a little while, I'm sure it'd be greatly appreciated.

I think I'll be staying here for a while, too.

Blue, I'm scared

I don't know if this happened because of one of the boxes, or if it's something else entirely, but I think it would be wise if everyone were very careful from now on.

I don't know what else to do.


[OOC: Right, so. Sam got Saw-cursed, Rosella found him, and now he's in the hospital while she's a nervous wreck. Someone distract her?]

Tags: affected, augh seriously wtf, bad memories, brb having a breakdown, curse: the architect--act one, everything is ruined forever, hit rock bottom; began to dig, i love my friends, no no no no no no, optimism level is dwindling, plot, really need a hug kthx, time for some emo, trauma time is go
Current Mood: worried

"The chance of a lifetime", is it?

It seems such a simple task, in return for such a great reward. Press a button and be sent home? Or if you'd prefer, press a button and receive a gift from home. And that's all that you have to do, all that you have to sacrifice--a simple push of a button, barely more than a moment's thought.

On the other hand, that push of a button may be making someone else sacrifice much, much more on your behalf.

I'd thought, before I found this box and note, that this all was just another deviation from the usual pattern of things--a weekend of random curses come a day early, rather than waiting for Saturday. But now it seems it's something else entirely, and I'm not even entirely sure if one could call this a curse. It's giving us the power of the deities for a day, isn't it? Granting us the choice whether or not to curse another person here. Except that the deities curse all of us at once, and we're only given the chance to curse one person with one press of one box.

It's strange, though, that we're offered a reward for doing it. Is that how it works for the deities, as well? Curse us all and receive a reward for it, just on a much grander scale than this scheme of boxes? I suppose one might say that the reward is the misery we experience to fuel the clock, but now I can't help but wonder if there might be more to it than that.

By offering such a reward, it's clear that we're all meant to push the button. There's no better way to lead a goat than by showing him a carrot, after all. But I wonder what it could mean, that the act of cursing another has been left to us today, rather than being reserved by the deities. Why give us the choice? Why suddenly make it so easy to go home, if that's what we want most, or to get something from home if that's what we want instead? All this time and all these curses, and suddenly we're given an opportunity like this?

Perhaps I've been here too long, and I'm growing too suspicious over things that I shouldn't. "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth," as the saying goes.

On the other hand, as the other saying goes, "If something seems too good to be true, it may very well be."

And perhaps that's the real curse, for those of us who decide not to inflict one on someone else--that now we'll have to wonder, from this point on, what would've happened if we had.


[OOC: Someone found her box and has been shooting glances at it all day. She's not going to press it, but the curiosity is killing her. It's Pandora's Box, take two.]

Tags: absence makes the heart go yonder, affected, curiosity killed the princess, curse: the architect--act one, home is where the heart is, i love my friends, not that kind of girl kthx, oblivious rosella is oblivious, plot, rosella's journal, so farfetched it's gotta be true, this place is weird beyond belief, too many questions
Current Mood: curious

[Accidental Video Post]

[Here is Rosella, sitting quietly in the Library with her nose buried in a dusty old book with a leather-bound cover. Next to her is a tall stack of books, equally dusty and equally leather-bound, and all of which look relatively ancient. It's not necessarily a neat stack, so some of the spines are turned away from the camera, but of the few that can be read, there is a common theme--all have something to do with symbols, iconography, or runology.

The book Rosella is currently poring over, when she tips it in such a way that the cover can be read--perhaps as she turns a page--is entitled, "The Good Housekeeper's Book Of Common Icons and Enchanted Runes", and every so often she retrieves a piece of notebook paper from the table next to her, holding it up in comparison to a page in the book. After each comparison, she pauses, frowns, and resumes reading once again, occasionally muttering to herself.]

...May have the unfortunate side effect of causing carrots to sprout from one's--no, that's not it...

[After a short while, she eventually glances over, and notices her Network device is on.]

Oh, drat it all. How long have you been on?

[She reaches for the device, presumably to turn its recording off, but then pauses and glances at her piece of notebook paper once again. After a moment of consideration, she picks up the paper and holds it up for the camera:]



Well...oh, it couldn't hurt to ask, anyway. I don't suppose anyone could tell me what it is this symbol means, could you?

[She gives the camera a single hopeful look, then reaches for it as if to switch it off, and the feed abruptly ends.]


[OOC: So yeah, three guesses which canon bled over into Rosella's yesterday, and the first two don't count. She's currently convinced that the design itself is some kind of magic symbol of power, and she's trying to figure out what it is. Have at her? =D

EDIT: Regarding potential fourth-walling--fourth wall away as much as you want, as far as Zelda canon information goes, but just don't tell her outright that it's a video game, please?]

Tags: a modern sort of princess, all the cool kids know magic, behold my mad skills, curse: crossing over, eighteen and loving it, oblivious rosella is oblivious, post curse, so farfetched it's gotta be true, taking care of business, the perils of being rosella, too many questions, your princess is in another castle
Current Mood: studious

( Private//Hackable by Friends )

( Private to Asano Rin//Unhackable )

Well, my necklace is off to be fixed, Miss Alice is back at home with Blue, and I'm still successfully unmarried. I suppose that means things are getting back to normal around here, after all.

That was a funny curse yesterday, though, wasn't it? Which is not to say that marriage is a laughing matter, of course, but it was a silly sort of curse, just the same. I doubt that anyone really intends to keep for today any marriage that they might've ended up in yesterday, and I do hope that no matter what happened yesterday, no one holds those actions against each other. Curses that change our thoughts and play with our emotions are never easy, and especially not in the aftermath, but that's what makes it all the more important to forgive each other once they're over.

Kaname, thank you for the recommendation of the jeweler; I do appreciate it, and perhaps we can reschedule our plans for tea once again, if it's not too much trouble? We seem to have rather bad luck with finding a good day to meet, don't we? But I'm sure if we keep after it, we'll manage it eventually.

...Am I just imagining things, or has there rather been a lack of new arrivals lately? Speaking with Rin made me think of it-- It seems as though a great deal of people have been leaving, but other than the weekend when all the visitors came back at the beginning of the month, it seems as though there haven't been many new people arriving. Or perhaps I just haven't been paying close enough attention, I suppose...

And let's see, Blair's birthday party is on this Tuesday coming up, and I still have yet to see about finding something to wear to it. It's a pity I couldn't trade colors with Sam, and wear that orange dress I had for Valentine's Day this year, but then that would leave Sam with pink and I think it'd be rather improper if I broke the rules and switched, so a pink dress it'll be, after all. That makes things a bit easier, at least, since it leaves out the trouble of picking a color.

My, I'm accumulating a lot of dresses, aren't I? At home, I'd only have had to pick from a few, but here it's color this and style that and improper to wear the same thing more than once...

And of course, Tristan and Yvaine, I do hope the two of you are feeling better now?


[OOC: Rin-mun, the link itself is OOC, but the conversation and some of the information in it is what Rosella would've sent along. Enjoy!]

Tags: a modern sort of princess, curse: sadie hawkins day, daventry represent!, developing abandonment issues, happily ever after, he doesn't look a thing like jesus, high society, i love my friends, it turned into a ballroom blitz, mawwiage: that bwessed awwangement, not that kind of girl kthx, post curse, put the pen down already, rosella's journal, rosella's thoughts on love, the perils of being rosella
Current Mood: thoughtful

And so, after two days, it's finally come to an end. No more battles, no more clashing of swords, no more explosions roaring like thunder. It's all gone. It's over.

It's finally quiet again outside.

Even so, I don't much feel like going out today. Which is a bit odd, I suppose, since I've been shut up in the Warehouse for the past two days, and today is the first time I can finally get out again without having to worry about wandering into the middle of a battle as I go. But whatever errands I have to run, I think they can wait until tomorrow. I think for today, I'll just stay in.

I still need to get the chain fixed on my necklace, though. Or get a new one for it, perhaps. Either way, I haven't been able to wear it since it got broken, and I need to look after that. I suppose I'll go tomorrow.

But I think for now, I'll stay in bed and have a nap. It'll be nice to go to sleep without having to listen to all that racket outside, for a change.


[OOC: Aaaaaaack, guys, I'm so sorry, I got dragged out. Backdating FTW?]

Tags: a modern sort of princess, bad memories, curses suck, doing nothing forever and ever, home is where the heart is, i love my friends, optimism level is dwindling, post curse, rosella is not amused, sleeping beauty is sleepy, the perils of being rosella, time for some emo
Current Mood: tired

Entry the One Hundred and Thirty-Eighth
In which Her Royal Highness Princess Rosella finds herself in distress, which is normal, and shortly thereafter drops a bag of peas on her head, which is not.
Once upon a time, in a rather strange land known as the City, there lived a princess with quite a bit on her mind--which was only to be expected, really, from living in a place like the City for so very long. She had made plenty of friends in her time spent there, and she had been through many curses, and that made for a great number of things to think about, especially for someone who, to be perfectly honest, often thinks about things too much, anyway.

As she made her way through the aisles of the little grocery shop, listening to the pleasant click of her shoes on the floor and scouring the shelves for the items she wanted, the princess let herself drift into thought. She'd had a lovely evening the night before, attending a surprise party for the eighteenth birthday of one of her dearest friends, and soon there would be another birthday to celebrate, for another dear friend. And of course, Giving Thanks--or rather, Thanksgiving, she quickly amended with a touch of embarrassment--would be coming up soon, as well. Yes, there were plenty of good things to look forward to, she mused, and placed a bag of flour into her basket.

But alas, her thoughts soon turned to other considerations, and these were ones of the not-so-pleasant variety. Many of the people she cared about had seen friends sent home lately, and while she knew all too well that there was really nothing she could do to fix it, she still felt guilty and worried for them. And then there were her own worries--ones that had been piling up, bit by bit, over the course of a few months now, that she had been trying to ignore and determined to overcome. So many calamities had occurred, arriving every few weeks, and while she always did her best to recover from the horrors of those calamities, she was also aware that she hadn't shaken those horrors completely.

As she added a bag of apples to her basket and then went in search of the yeast, she let her mind drift over the memories of the prison, of the loss of her heart, of the cannibals and monsters that October had brought about, and finally to the horror of her encounter with Lolotte in the pumpkin patch. The joy of seeing her family the previous weekend had helped to counter a great deal of the sadness and uncertainty these events had brought about in her, but unfortunately, countering sadness did not necessarily mean eliminating it entirely, and the princess knew all too well how the City seemed to thrive on misery. She had vowed that it would not extract any out of her in the month of October, and she took a measure of rebellious pride in the fact that she had succeeded in keeping her vow.

However, this was now November, and she had no such vow for this month to help get her through.

(And, of course, had she known there was a curse on this particular day, she might've chosen to put these thoughts off for a later time, so as not to broadcast them all over the Network. But alas, it was not to be.)

Perhaps it was just that the coming of winter made it harder to keep her mind on light and cheerful things, she mused, dropping two packets of yeast into her basket. It was difficult to be anything but cheerful in the spring, when the days grew warm and the flowers came out and the whole world seemed to come back to life again. Now was the time for bundling up against the cold and building fires to keep warm--the normal fires, preferably, ones kept to the hearth and not to couches or straw dolls--and with the evenings coming sooner and sooner, perhaps it was only natural to be a bit gloomy. And at that thought, her optimistic spirit briefly surfaced, and she thought that perhaps she'd just have to hang on that much more tightly to the things that did make her cheerful, to combat the gloominess. It may not be easy, she mused, but she had never let things being difficult stop her before.

All these things she considered as she absently reached for a bag of peas, straining on her tiptoes to pull it down with the use of two fingers, and it was then that the princess learned her lesson about why one should always pay careful attention when retrieving heavy bags of peas from very high shelves.

Tags: a modern sort of princess, affected, augh seriously wtf, bad memories, curse: tell me a story, eighteen and loving it, fairy tales, i love my friends, i'm sorry i can't be perfect, literary analysis, optimism level is dwindling, put the pen down already, rosella is not amused, the perils of being rosella
Current Mood: grumpy

( Private//Hackable by Friends )

Well, wasn't that a lovely way to spend a weekend? I admit, it was a bit surprising to see the visitors staying two days, instead of only one, but it's not the first time they've stayed more than one day, isn't it? But that was a long time ago, if I recall correctly. Still, it was lovely to see everyone that came, and to meet so many new people, too. Daddy managed to come again, and this time it seems that Mother and Alexander were able to follow him, so I got to see my whole family, and that was just wonderful. And I met a lovely girl named Giselle, who helped me to bake cupcakes for the party, but I think we went a bit overboard with that because now there's cupcakes everywhere that haven't been eaten. But we'll get to them soon enough, I suppose.

And now it's November, and October has come and gone, and here we all are. A month ago, I said that waiting for October was rather like watching a storm come over the horizon; now that the storm is past, I wonder what might be in store for the future? I'd hope it would be calm and sunshine, but on the other hand, this is the City. And winter is coming, after all.

But of course, winter means Christmas, and there's Givi Thanksgiving this month, and so there's plenty to look forward to, too.

...And my goodness--as of today, I've been here a year and three months. My, how time flies, doesn't it?

Sam, we're going to have a guest in the Warehouse for a bit--her name is Miss Alice, and she's a friend of Blue's, and she'll be staying with us for a few days. I'm going to pick her up on my way home from the Library today. I don't recall if you've met before, but I'll be certain to introduce you when I do; she's really very lovely, and I'm sure you'll get along just fine.

And yes, I know, I haven't forgotten what else today is the anniversary of, either. One of these days I'm going to get those pictures away from you, you know.


[OOC: So yes, one year ago today, Rosella successfully tied herself up with a magic rope and broadcast it to the Network, thus beginning one of her longest-running inside jokes of all time. Of all time.]

Tags: a bit tied up at present, a modern sort of princess, anniversary, eighteen and loving it, gotta love that optimism, h is for hypocrite, home is where the heart is, i love my friends, post curse, put the pen down already, rope tricks, rosella's journal, the most wonderful time of the year, the perils of being rosella, time to be a princess
Current Mood: optimistic

...Goodness, when I was baking for the party tonight, I wasn't expecting this many visitors. But it seems you're all here again, are you? It's not quite so nice as being able to visit home, of course, but it's always lovely to have visitors. And especially for the holidays!

Just not Lolotte, please, not her--not again...

Hello, everyone! Do come by to say hello, won't you? It's always such fun to see you and visit with you. And of course, you're welcome to stay for the party tonight, if you'd like! I'm sure it won't be any trouble at all.

...Well, unless we run out of snacks, but it's not as though it's difficult to make a few batches of cookies in a hurry. Speaking of which, I rather ought to get busy with that, shouldn't I?

And of course...if there's anyone here from the land of Daventry, please do stop in to say hello. It's been quite a while since I last heard word of home, and I'd be glad for any news.

...My, what a nice way to end October. I think perhaps it'll turn out to be a happy Halloween, after all.


[OOC: /copies and pastes As always: Canonically, she's from just after the end of Perils of Rosella, and with some very disjointed and vague knowledge of Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder. If something comes up that I don't want her to know, I'll just have her forget it, so have a party--anything goes! HIT HER WITH EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT.

Also, muns, keeping in the spirit of Ye Olde Text-Based Adventure Games, that down below there? Is a command prompt. If you feel like 'directing' Rosella to carry out actions like "get bowl" or "open door", she might just feel compelled to respond...unless it's too complicated, in which you might get a fun error message instead. (Guaranteed acceptable commands include "get", "look", "open", "close", and "use".) Have fun!

And of course, I am totally okay with backdating.]

> |

Tags: a modern sort of princess, absence makes the heart go yonder, affected, bff =/= getting busy, curse: fourth wall destruction, daddy, daventry represent!, doom!tober, eighteen and loving it, gotta love that optimism, home is where the heart is, i'm walking on sunshine, missing daventry, score one for the good guys, stronger now than yesterday, the perils of being rosella, the symbol of daventry, your princess is in another castle
Current Mood: busy