[03, action] A cage is still a cage.

[biladi.livejournal.com]

[ Hands over his eyes, forehead pressed against a high stone wall, a boy counts out loud, pace slow to buy more time for those out of sight. For the moment, he's alone, and he should be, given the game he's playing. ]

Bes. Alti. Yedi. Sekiz...

[ On twenty, the boy uncovers his eyes, turns around, and walks away from the wall. A familiar face from a much younger time, he has the looks (as deceiving as they are) of one in his mid-teens. Different pieces here and there — more metal, more red, and not a speck of green, save for his eyes — but the overall look hasn't strayed too far from what's been seen. Gold bangles around his ankles clink together as he turns in place; aside from the light breeze and occasional songbird, it's the only sound to be heard in the small courtyard.

After a long pause there's a quiet gasp. He's taking in the afternoon scenery more than actively thinking of where to look for those in hiding.

My God. This place is... ]


(ooc: Topkapı Sarayı, during the late 1500s. Here's some more pictures to give you guys an idea of what it looks like, plus more areas to explore.)

Comments

[toomanyverses.livejournal.com]

[Greece finds himself higher than he was a minute ago, toes jammed into a small foothold and vision blocked by a mass of bright green foliage. He remembers this, very clearly; the light is warm, the breeze is soft, the branch he clings to is solid and...

...

Very, very real. He doesn't fall out of the tree, but he does freeze, still in plain sight for anyone who wants to come and find him.

What will they see but a small boy in dirty clothes, bright eyes still wide in his face, perched incredibly, precariously high?]

[biladi.livejournal.com]

[The last thing he remembers before the courtyard is Balamb. His dorm. Had he fallen asleep so soon? But.. he wasn't sleeping, he's sure of it. He almost felt sick moments before, this indescribable, but very tangible thing.

If this isn't a dream, what is it?

Egypt ventures further into the courtyard, nearing the tree Greece had climbed earlier. He pauses every once in a while as if unsure of what to do. Should he go inside the palace, or stay here? Does he want to keep playing? Does he want to try and look for anyone specific?

He's unsure of many things right now.]

[toomanyverses.livejournal.com]

[He... was hiding. Yes. That was what he was doing. Is doing. It all seems so real... should he keep playing along? He can see Egypt down there. Does he want to keep playing? Or does he just want to see Egypt, before Turkey comes back?

He remembers how he got down. ...Should he go?]

[biladi.livejournal.com]

[If he goes, he'll get caught for sure.

...It was hide and seek, wasn't it? And someone used to hide up in the trees. A good climber that didn't mind the scrape of branches across their shins. It's been far too long; Egypt can't remember.

He turns and circles, looking up as he skims fingertips against the old (but much younger) bark, almost right beneath Greece's feet. Close.]

[toomanyverses.livejournal.com]

[Now this is even more familiar -- darting up higher, just in case Egypt touches his foot and realises that he really is there. He wonders why he did that. It would have been sneakier to move slowly, because while the foliage is easy to hide in, it makes a lot of noise.

...This is how he remembers being caught. He used to be so jumpy.]

1/2

[bratbeyond.livejournal.com]

[One minute, he's repairing his cellphone - it doesn't get service, but the games still work! (And dangnabit, he's not giving up Angry Birds without a fight) - and the next... the world's...

... well, it's not Garden, that's for sure.]

2/2

[bratbeyond.livejournal.com]

[So he immediately tucks his cellphone and mini-screwdriver into his pockets and starts to inspect the area. It looks like home... it feels like home... but the language doesn't sound home.]

What the hell did I just wander into...?

[monkingaround.livejournal.com]

[Well. This is certainly not the bed he was just sleeping in. Aang blinks a few times, confused, before looking around and spotting Damian some feet away. He looks just as confused as Aang feels. He makes his way over to the other boy, hoping he has some information.]

Uh, Damian...where are we?

[bratbeyond.livejournal.com]

[Pinged by Aang's voice! Thank god he's got someone else in this place--and wait, is Aang speaking Turkish? That's new.]

... I'd tell you, but I don't know. It looks a little like Seville, but it's too new to be my dad's hometown.

[monkingaround.livejournal.com]

How did we even get here? [He looks around, apparently not having noticed anything weird about the language.]

feeble attempts at NPC Ottoman Empire

[biladi.livejournal.com]

[So, where are you right now?

There may or may not be a tall man (http://i.imgur.com/bZlwr.jpg) in a silly hat and silly clothes nearby. He's covered completely from head to toe, hat over hair, mask over eyes, cloth over mouth, gloves over hands. Holy shit, how can he stand the heat in all that?

Nothing about his features is distinguishable due to the clothes and coverings. Who the hell is he, you ask? He's the goddamn Batman Ottoman Empire. Bitches better respect.]


(ooc: Ogod I am not a Turkey RPer... If you guys want to try running into this guy on separate occasions with or without threadjacking, be my guest. I apologize for any major derping on my part.)

[toomanyverses.livejournal.com]

[EWWWW]

now with helpful color coding?

[biladi.livejournal.com]

ALL THE HELP

[toomanyverses.livejournal.com]

Why are you here?

[tiny grump, at your service]

sob you can help me practice

[biladi.livejournal.com]

[biladi.livejournal.com]

[MANY HANDWAVED THINGS LATER: EGYPT'S PALACE ROOM.

I hope you have immense patience, Damian. Egypt doesn't come back for an hour or two. Or three. The sun is long set by now. Sorry that didn't Egypt explain much before locking you in here. He probably won't mind if you poke around.

At least you have a few things to look at in the meantime? The room isn't big by palace standards, far from it, but it certainly beats Balamb's dorms. Very tidy, and all the windows are wide open. There's a few decorative pots that don't match the rest of the palace's Turkish decor. The bed's nice, but it doesn't have as many pillows and cushions as it should; there's only two.

And there's a falcon in a circular cage to keep you company. Sweet. Beats being totally alone, right?]

[bratbeyond.livejournal.com]

[Actually, he'd rather be alone - that falcon's giving him the creeps - but all things considered, chilling in Egypt's room isn't bad! Damian explored for a little bit, but didn't really bother to pry through personal things (it's akhi's room, after all).

So... Egypt might be a little disappointed in Damian, but he's already opened that book of Turkish poetry. He also may or may not be actually liking what he's reading--but after the map and the Qur'an, he'll take whatever he can get. Really.]

[biladi.livejournal.com]

[The one-sided lock is sliding open very quietly; Egypt's back. He slips back into the room, shutting the doors behind him and turning to look for the boy he left behind.]

Damian...?

[He still can't used to hearing his voice like this. No surprise there.]

[bratbeyond.livejournal.com]

[The voice definitely causes him to jump up. Slamming the book shut, Damian glances up at Egypt and gives him an acknowledging nod.] What took you? Parentals being stiff?

[... yeah no, still hasn't figured out that Egypt's a country.]

[biladi.livejournal.com]

[He shrugs at that as he approaches. Egypt was out preoccupying someone so that they wouldn't bother to come check on him later. Parental. Boss. Whatever the fuck.] Safe here. Aang's with Herakles.

[Stopping closeby, his eyes drift down to the book. Something he hadn't noticed earlier.]

[monkingaround.livejournal.com]

[Maybe running away from Damian in search of a bathroom wasn't a very good idea. Especially because Aang has no idea where he is, either in this world or in this palace. He skids to a stop at a corner, unsure if he should turn left or right and unable to stop the jumping and fidgeting that comes with his full bladder.]

Why is this place so big?! I can't even find one bathroom!

[biladi.livejournal.com]

[Watch where you're going, Aang. We wouldn't want you having an accident now, do we?]

Oof—

[Say hi to the teenager in the white robes you're now crashing into around the next corner.]

[monkingaround.livejournal.com]

[Aang groans as he thumps into someone, hard.]

I'm so sorry! Wait a minute... [It's Damian's friend?] Hassan?

[biladi.livejournal.com]

[Way closer to Aang's age from the looks of it yet still waaay older in reality, but... yeah. Definitely looks like Hassan. He nearly loses his balance, but grabbing onto the kid he bumped into by the shoulders helps him out.]

...?! [Wait. What. Holy shit, what. You don't fit in this strange not-dream equation!]

Aang? [Sorry, he doesn't see you too often around Garden. Did he get the pronunciation right?]

[monkingaround.livejournal.com]

You're here, too? [Okay, this Time Compression thing just got even weirder.]