[She had to be dreaming. Had to be, except for the distinct sense of waking up that started Amelia's adventure into--wherever she was. Down in the dark had been bad enough; on some cot, surrounded by strangers, with the entire place wobbling worse than any Sand Steamer she'd ever been on. But then she'd gone up, out into the sunlight--
And saw something she couldn't begin to describe.
Water. More than she'd ever seen in her life, stretching out into the horizon and beyond. Enough for a whole city, or maybe the whole planet, just there, right in front of her. It couldn't be real.]
[the question draws her attention, and Kaylee looks away from the city to glance back at the woman. She doesn't recognize her, but she doesn't exactly know everyone in the castle, either.]
Looks like the castle decided to go all *feng-le and put us all someplace new.
Can't say I mind, none. I ain't ever been on a ship like this, before.
[Amelia needed a moment to tear her eyes away from the water, but the woman's words were just strange enough to prompt her to do it.]
Castle? What are you talking about? [Castles and giant pools of water were things from fairy-tales. And ships--well, this definitely wasn't a Sand Steamer. 8t was clear from the stunned look that Amelia wasn't getting the sense of a questioned answered that this woman meant.] This is a ship?
[Okay then. Someone's sanity definitely was up for debate; Amelia just couldn't figure out if it should be hers or this stranger's.]
Not really. [Amelia shook her head slowly.] I've been staying in a motel in Macca City. [Another look beyond the railing prompted her to add:] In the desert.
[And Amelia had the answer to her sanity debate. The woman clearly believed what she had just said, but Amelia knew it wasn't possible. Like how it wasn't possible for her to be on some rundown version of a "ship" surrounded by an endless expanse of water. It couldn't be real.
Except that it was more vivid than any dream Amelia had ever had, even those based in her memories.]
Well...we ain't really figured that part out yet. And the normal answer ain't really gonna work, seein' as....well...we weren't expectin' to be on a ship, neither.
*Gao-yang zhong de gu-yang... I ain't explainin' this right at all.
Amelia. [Names were safe. Amelia understood names, even if half of what Kaylee said was gibberish and the other half insane. Still, she couldn't get too upset. The woman's sincerity made it impossible; she honestly was trying to help. Amelia just doubted she'd actually succeed.]
[an apologetic smile] There ain't really an easy way of showin' you, long as we're on this ship...but I guess the long 'n short of it is that you ain't wherever you're supposed to be no more.
And there ain't no quick way back. Least not that we've figured out. [she nods to the people mingling on the deck] We all had the same sorta thing happen, showin' up somewhere we weren't supposed t'be.
Everyone? [The thought of that many people being displaced, however it had been done, only made the situation all the more surreal. Amelia tried to decide just how much of what Kaylee said she could take as truth, but it wasn't easy--especially when the other woman admitted there was no way of proving her claim.]
What do you mean? [Not that Amelia planned to confine herself to the "ship" if she could help it--but Kaylee sounded as if she expected something to happen.]
And saw something she couldn't begin to describe.
Water. More than she'd ever seen in her life, stretching out into the horizon and beyond. Enough for a whole city, or maybe the whole planet, just there, right in front of her. It couldn't be real.]
What in the world is going on?
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Looks like the castle decided to go all *feng-le and put us all someplace new.
Can't say I mind, none. I ain't ever been on a ship like this, before.
*loopy in the head
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Castle? What are you talking about? [Castles and giant pools of water were things from fairy-tales. And ships--well, this definitely wasn't a Sand Steamer. 8t was clear from the stunned look that Amelia wasn't getting the sense of a questioned answered that this woman meant.] This is a ship?
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And...the castle. Y'know...the place we've been stayin' in, all stuck an-
[at Amelia's continued look of confusion, she'll pause]
You ain't really followin' anything I'm sayin', are you?
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Not really. [Amelia shook her head slowly.] I've been staying in a motel in Macca City. [Another look beyond the railing prompted her to add:] In the desert.
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[a small sigh] I'd be wonderin' if you were from this place...but if you weren't expectin' to be on a ship, neither...
It ain't real easy to explain, but...you've sorta been...
[oh dear...have an apologetic look, Amelia] kindapped.
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Except that it was more vivid than any dream Amelia had ever had, even those based in her memories.]
Kidnapped? How?
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*Gao-yang zhong de gu-yang... I ain't explainin' this right at all.
[a sigh] I'm Kaylee.
*Motherless goat of all motherless goats
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Thanks for trying anyway.
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And there ain't no quick way back. Least not that we've figured out. [she nods to the people mingling on the deck] We all had the same sorta thing happen, showin' up somewhere we weren't supposed t'be.
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But that castle has something to do with it?
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Guess it'd make more sense for a person t'be behind it all, but if there is, we don't know who it is.
Things'll make a bit more sense when we get back there. Not a whole lot more, but a little.
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[The idea didn't settle well with Amelia. She was much more the type to do something about her situation rather than sitting idle.]
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...And, I s'pose it's only fair warnin' that these sorts of changes tend t'get a bit *kwong-juh duh* the longer they're goin' on.
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