Welcome to Rosavelle!

[royaldecreemods]

INVITATION

You're going about your day when you notice an envelope that most certainly wasn't there before. It's beautiful, if a little old-fashioned: pale pink paper, sealed with a pressed flower instead of wax and your name written in looping cursive that shimmers faintly in the light.
Inside, the letter begins;

Dearest friend—
Goodness, I hope that isn't too forward. We've not met, after all. But I have been told that when one writes an invitation, it's important to sound sincere.

My name is Calanthe Rosabella Petalia de Amoré. I am the Crown Princess of Rosavelle. It's a little island kingdom far, far away - so far that it may not exist quite in the same world as yours.

I know this must sound terribly strange, but I'm writing because I need your help. You see, my coronation is approaching soon, and Rosavelle's magic - the Everbloom - responds to the strength of one's heart. It's said that a ruler must understand love to truly awaken it. Not just romance, mind you, but all kinds of love: friendship, kindness, care.

The trouble is… I'm not very good at it. I've read so many books about love, but real people don't seem to follow the same rules the novels do.

That is why I'm writing to you. The Everbloom - our most ancient and wondrous magic - has granted me the means to reach across worlds. I'm inviting a handful of remarkable individuals, like you, to Rosavelle to help me learn. Not only to teach me what love means to you, but to help me see how it can bloom between friends, companions, and strangers alike.

I promise you'll be treated as an honored guest.

... It goes on like that for a while, whole paragraphs assuring you that you can leave whenever you want, no time will pass back in your world, the Everbloom's magic will keep you safe, etc etc… honestly it gets to the point that it starts to sound less like an invitation and more like a contract. But then, mercifully, the writer finds their footing again:

If you'll come, I'd be so very grateful. I know this is a strange request, and you owe me nothing - but still, I hope you'll consider it. Rosavelle is beautiful this time of year, and it is my hope that seeing it alongside fresh eyes will allow me to see it more clearly as well.

With all my thanks (and my hopes!)—
Princess Calanthe Rosabella Petalia de Amoré

Maybe you accept right away or maybe you dismiss it as a prank or something equally unimportant. No matter what you think when you first read it, your mind eventually turns back to that invite and your find yourself thinking that it might not be a bad idea…

And once you do, you feel the world going soft and sweet around you, the scent of blooming flowers filling your nose - and before you can quite process what's happening, you realize you've accepted.

ARRIVAL

You arrive in a haze of soft, rosy light. For a moment, everything is weightless - the air around you hums faintly, thick with warmth and the heady scent of flowers. When the haze fades, you find yourself standing beneath a vast glass dome that stretches impossibly high overhead. The light filtering through its pink-tinted panes paints everything in gentle rose and gold and petals drift through the air like drifting snow.

You are standing in the Everbloom's Greenhouse. The walls curve upward in graceful arches, every pane glimmering faintly and the air is warm, fragrant, and shimmering with faint motes of magic. Flowering vines climb the supports, colorful blossoms of all kinds spill from hanging baskets, and everywhere you look there's flowers, flowers, flowers.

At its heart stands the Everbloom, a colossal tree the likes of which you've never seen before. Its smooth trunk is faintly luminous and the canopy stretches so high that you can't see where it ends, vanishing into a haze of golden light and drifting petals. The air around it hums softly with power and for a moment, all you can do is stare up at it in awe.

A moment later, movement stirs: castle attendants glide forward in elegant uniforms, carrying towels, refreshments, and generally doing their best to make sure everyone's arrived safely. After all, you're not alone. Around you, other figures begin to appear - some blinking in wonder, some already steady on their feet. Each seems as out of place as you, drawn from distant worlds and disparate lives but under the rosy light they all seem to come together like flowers gathered into the same bouquet.

Those who stumble are gently guided toward a bench cushioned with flowering moss. Cool towels and drinks infused with rose and mint are offered freely. Eventually, once it seems like everyone's arrived and mostly gotten their bearings, one of the attendants - a lady-in-waiting as you'll eventually find out - speaks up.

"You are most welcome to Rosavelle," she says, dipping into a polite bow. "Their Princess will be hosting a banquet this evening to greet you all properly. Until then, please take your time to get settled and familiar with your surroundings. If you need anything at all, do not hesitate to ask."

For now, you're free to mingle. This is your chance to get your bearings, meet your fellow arrivals, and explore your surroundings. Beyond the main atrium, you can glimpse winding paths lined with blooming hedges and fat, colorful blossoms. Somewhere in the distance, you can faintly hear birdsong. You feel a little tug somewhere in your chest and if you follow it, you might just come across a flowerbed somewhere in the Greenhouse that you somehow know as your own.

After some time to mingle and acclimate, the attendants return, clapping their hands gently to draw attention.

"It's nearly time to prepare for the evening banquet! If you'll come with us, we'll see to your attire."

DRESS UP

You're led from the warmth of the greenhouse through a series of winding marble corridors until you're ushered through a set of grand double doors into a suite of guest rooms bustling with motion. Tailors, stylists, and attendants hurry between privacy screens, racks of lavish garments and trays piled high with glittering jewelry. Silks and satins gleam and lace and velvet catch the light in soft waves of color.

Tailors and stylists bustle about, armed with measuring tapes, pins, and brushes. The staff are cheerfully firm about making sure everyone looks their best for the banquet but nobody's forced into anything they don't want; the attendants listen to everyone's preferences and somehow find something flattering for even the most reluctant participant. Whether you comply with good humor or grumble through the process, it's impossible not to get swept up in the flurry of preparation. … of course, if you're determined to be a grump about the whole thing, you're welcome to wait outside until everyone's dressed up nicely.

The attendants encourage everyone to chatter as they work or even to lend a hand to another guest struggling with their ensemble. Maybe it's out of curiosity - the staff are polite, professional, but it's clear that dressing guests from other worlds is a novelty they want to enjoy.

As final adjustments are made and mirrors fill with transformed reflections, the bustle slowly quiets. Attendants exchange satisfied looks, then guide the group once more through the corridors. The faint strains of music drift down the corridors until at last, you find yourself before the towering double doors of the Azurite Banquet Hall, carved from the stone it takes its name from. The lady in waiting pauses just long enough to smooth a wrinkle here, adjust a collar there, and make sure everyone is present before pushing the doors open.

BANQUET

The Azurite Banquet Hall glows with warm candlelight reflected in polished marble floors and the air inside smells of wine and roses. Long tables stretch the length of the hall, each one dressed in embroidered runners and heaped with platters of food that look almost too beautiful to eat and in the corner, a string quartet plays a soft, lilting melody.

At the head of the room stands your host, Princess Calanthe Rosabella Petalia de Amoré. Draped in pale gold, they look every bit the part of a royal... though the slightly nervous way they adjust their posture speaks of someone not entirely at ease in the spotlight. When they catch sight of the assembled guests, though, they brighten a bit. Their hands are clasped too tightly around their wine glass, but their voice is bright and earnest.

"Ah - good evening, everyone! I - well, goodness, where does one even begin?

First of all, thank you. Truly, thank you all for coming here - to Rosavelle, and to me. I know this must all seem terribly strange - one moment you were in your own world, and the next you're here. It's strange to me too, you know. I've been imagining this for weeks, and yet somehow it still doesn't feel quite real.
Ah - oh! I suppose I should introduce myself properly. My name is Calanthe Rosabella Petalia de Amoré. I am the Crown Princess of Rosavelle, soon to be its sovereign, though I admit that still feels a little surreal to say aloud.

I invited you here because - well, I imagine all of you read your invitations. The Everbloom, our kingdom's oldest and most sacred magic, is bound to the heart and mine is… embarrassingly, quite uneducated in such matters. I couldn't imagine anyone in this world I could burden with such a problem and so I thought - perhaps - those who come from other worlds might help me."

... suddenly, they look sheepish.

"That said, ah - there is a small complication. It is. Um. Frowned upon by most scholars to interfere with the affairs of other worlds, even with the best of intentions and I fear it would cause quite a stir if word got out. So for the time being, we'll need to keep your origins a secret. Please don't worry, though - we've arranged everything you'll need. Over the next month, we'll be teaching you about Rosavelle and all its customs so that when you venture out for the Wilting festival, you'll feel quite at home.

I realize that's rather a lot to ask, and I'm - well, I'm deeply grateful for your patience. I promise to do my best to make this worth your while.

So, once again, thank you. For answering my invitation. For being here, together, tonight.

Now then-"

They raise their glass, cheeks pink but eyes bright.

"To new beginnings, and to the bonds we have yet to form. May they bloom as beautifully as the flowers of Rosavelle... oh, that sounded quite good, didn't it? A toast - to all of you!"

As the toast echoes through the hall, the music swells again - a graceful waltz this time - and attendants sweep forward to usher guests toward the buffet tables.

There's something for every palate: platters of lemon-butter shrimp and rosemary-crusted fish, seared scallops on saffron rice and fillets of calendula-cured salmon alongside oysters resting in crushed ice and lobsters cracked open beside dishes of herb butter. It's not all seafood, either - whole roasted ducks glazed in something fruity dot the table, alongside lamb, chicken and a mouthwatering roast beef.

Between the platters, bowls of vegetables offer roasted root vegetables glistening with sweet glaze, delicate salads strewn with edible petals, caramelized carrots, blistered cherry tomatoes and crisp greens grown. And, of course, baskets of warm, golden bread wait beside whipped butter and creamy sauces.

If you're in the mood for sweets, there's desserts in dizzying abundance: sugared fruit tarts, meringues shaped like blossoms, chocolate soufflés dusted with candied violet, and pastries of all kinds filled with custard, chocolate and all manner of fruity, flowery fillings.

A side table gleams with crystal decanters and goblets: bottles of wine, deeply colored mead and delicate floral liqueurs seem to be the alcoholic offerings but there's carafes of chilled fruit water steeped with mint for anyone who's not inclined towards spirits.

If you're feeling bold, the cleared space near the musicians makes a perfect dance floor. Perhaps you find yourself drawn into a dance, or perhaps you linger at the buffet, trading stories with a stranger over a shared plate of sugared pastries. Or maybe you'll take the opportunity to introduce yourself to your host now they've made an appearance.

Eventually, as the night wears thin, the quartet's melody softens to a gentle hum. Candlelight flickers low. The attendants appear once more, smiling as they begin to guide everyone toward the final stop of the evening.

HOUSEWARMING

The banquet winds to a gentle close and ne by one, the guests are gathered once more by the castle attendants who lead the way through dimly glowing corridors. The halls are quieter now, the rosy light of evening filtering through stained glass in sleepy shades of pink and gold. Everyone is lead through the castles and out into the grounds, their splendor only a little dulled by the darkness starting to settle over the castle.

"Your lodgings are just ahead," the lady in waiting says, her voice hushed out of respect for the hour. "You've each been assigned to a house - named for the flowers that chose you."

Slowly but surely, everyone's names are called and each person is supplied a heavy brass key to a house named for a flower you may have seen blooming somewhere today. When they speak the name of your house, something in you stirs with faint, inexplicable recognition, like you know it already - or maybe it knows you.

In any case, the barracks themselves are nothing like the name implies: warm, inviting, and softly lit by enchanted lanterns. Each house has its own cozy common area where low couches and plush chairs are gathered around softly glowing hearths. A long table in the center has been set with some late-night comforts, in case you somehow have any room left in your belly - plates of fruit and pastries, steaming pots of tea, and rich cocoa dusted with rose sugar.

The attendants leave you to settle in for the night, with a promise that the barracks staff will prepare meals from tomorrow onwards but mostly, you'll be left to your own devices. You could just track down your room and crash for the night but now seems as good a time as any to get to know your new housemates.

(CODE)

Comments

Mikan Tsumiki | Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair | Tulip

[discerp]

A. Arrival

[It seems like a prank, at first. Probably she wasn't even meant to pick up the envelope in the first place. Likely it was meant for someone more like Sonia, an actual princess, or any of the other girls really. Not clumsy, imperfect, ugly Mikan. But...for a moment, she likes to pretend that it was meant for her. A fantasy place just for her...

And then, well, she's there. She blinks several times, wide-eyed in shock before she begins checking herself over. Did she hit her head really hard? Is this a coma or a hallucination?? Everyone looks real, everything feels real, and when she pinches her cheek hard enough to leave a mark, the pain is certainly real too.

Now, cheek throbbing, she stares at the other people who've arrived, anxiety twisting in her stomach. Oh no. She shouldn't be here.]

I-I think there must be a mistake. Someone as ugly and terrible as me should be allowed in this...! [She protests meekly, but the protests are ignored. She doesn't really want to go home if it's true no time will pass, this seems like a nice place to start helping out in, but...] I'm just a nurse!

[She certainly doesn't look old enough to be a nurse, appearing just around 17 or 18 years old, but she seems very earnest when she says it. She's got an arm and a leg covered in bandages though]

B. Dress-Up

W-wait, please don't! [Mikan leaps back with a yelp of alarm as the attendants go to remove her bandages, her eyes wide in panic] I want to keep them on, please! Um, um... S-sorry, I'm so sorry for raising my voice...

[her eyes well up with tears. This is turning into a whole ordeal and Mikan retreats back to make sure the bandages are secured properly, her whole body shaking like a leaf. After a moment she buries her face in her hands] I-I can't believe I raised my voice! Now they're going to hate me! I'm going to be kicked ooouutt! [She's crying again...]

C. Banquet

[Mikan looks even more nervous, playing with her food. She's dressed up nicely, though her hair is still an uneven disaster and she's still got the bandages wrapped around one arm and one leg. But she doesn't appear to be hurting or anything, just looking around at the people near her anxiously, or watching people when she goes to get more food or a drink.

If someone approaches she'll speak up, with a little "um!" Before she continues] M-My name is Mikan Tsumiki! I'm know as the Ultimate Nurse back home. Um... From the bottom of my heart, I hope we can get along. Um...you know... [A beat] Um...um um um um... [Her face screws up as she tries not to start crying again] Uhhhh...my mind is drawing a blank...from nervousness...And...I went through all the trouble preparing 5,000 different topics to discuss after introductions!

D. Housewarming--Tulip

[She stands in common area, slowly examining everything with a thoughtful look] It feels...right... [Being here, particularly in the Tulip room, just feels Correct in a way she can't put a finger on. She rubs lightly at her bandages arm and looks over the decor]

I wonder why tulips? I never really thought about those flowers before. They're not really used in any medicines and not even much for food. Tulipalin A can cause contact dermatitis in people that handle the bulbs extensively, and they're poisonous to most domestic animals. Only the petals are really edible, but they can cause allergic reactions in some people...

[It's likely the most Mikan's spoken without a stutter or crying since she got here. But when she notices someone near-by, she full-body flinches and wrings her hands] I-I'm sorry. I lost control of myself and said whatever I wanted...

Wildcard

[For everything else! hit me up w/a PM or a PP at ovals]

A

[mahjongheart]

I mean. We'll probably need a nurse at some point.

[She knows how her life goes.]

And don't sell yourself too short, you know?

[She offers a hand up.]

Come on. There's a lot to see, right?

[discerp]

Th-that's probably true, but... [She can't even say 'they should get another nurse other than me' because she's supposed to be the best of the best in the entire world. She's got no leg to stand on there.

She eyes the offered hand, hesitating a moment before she takes it and pulls herself to her feet] Thank you... I-I'm so sorry you had to bother yourself with me! I know I agreed to come, so I shouldn't be complaining, but it just... Seems like it has to be an accident! S-Sonia would be so much better for this, she's a princess and kind and pretty... [A beat] Oh-- You wouldn't know who she is, would you...

Are we all really from different, umm, worlds?

[mahjongheart]

I don't know for sure. I don't see anyone I know, at least.

[Two other people are probably sneezing about now.]

But that doesn't really mean anything, now does it? There's lots of people from my own world I've never met.

B

[soaringspear]

[ Kanade perks up at the sound of someone raising their voice, looking back to see... a girl crying?? ]

O-Oi... you alright? What happened?

[ Worried big sister-mode, on! ]

[discerp]

Uuu... [Mikan sniffles, wiping at her face hurriedly] Th-they were just trying to help, and I panicked, and I raised my voice and there's no reason for someone like me to think I could get awaywith that! I'm going to be punished so bad! I'm so sorryyy!

[She waves her bandaged arm a little for emphasis] I just didn't want them taking them ooofff!!

[soaringspear]

[ Kanade eyes the bandages, lightly concerned... but she supposes why she wants to keep the bandages on may not be any of her business. At least, not now, that's for sure. ]

H-Hey, that's fine! That's nothin'! I mean, if you didn't raise your voice, then they would've taken them off, right?

[ Kanade puts a gentle smile onto her own face. ]

I don't really get it... but if it's that important, then it's good that you raised your voice, ain't it?

D

[steel_over_blood]

[ Does Bulat want to begin to unpack All Of This? Absolutely not. Who raised this girl? ]

That's fine. If some of these flowers are poisonous, I want to know about it. I like roses, but I'm no herbalist.

[ He sounds casual, but he's concerned underneath it. How do you calm down someone this fragile? He can't slap her on the back and tell her to toughen up? She might die?? ]

[discerp]

I don't know much, but I know medicine, at least a little... [As if that was anything resembling "a little" knowledge.

She looks over, looking sheepish, but then blinks. Her expression grows more serious as she examines his face, standing up a little straighter]

Weren't you the one who was injured? You probably shouldn't be moving up and about so soon! Um-- [She hesitates, looking a bit conflicted before she adds in a slightly meeker voice] I-I mean, well... I'm a nurse, so, um...

[steel_over_blood]

That's right, we're bandage buddies. I'm Bulat.

[ He holds out his beefy, wrapped up arm in the classic handshake offer. She seems more confident when she's talking about her specialty. Hm. It might be better... if he was less responsible? He silently apologizes to the revolution's doctor, who taught him better than this, and puts on his best friendly meathead face. ]

I'm pretty tough, so I should be good to get back to training tomorrow!

C

[hintplease]

[This looks like a job for someone with an excess of confidence. Tsukasa can take care of this situation easily, by saying something to calm Mikan's nerves and make her feel like everything is a little closer to normal.]

That's a lot of topics.

[#NailedIt]

[discerp]

I...I just didn't want anyone to be mad.. If I couldn't find something for them to talk about, you know? [As if that's a normal thing to happen. She wrings her napkin in her hands]

B-but I get so nervous I can't think straight! And th-that'll make anyone angrier, and it'll just be even worse... I should've just kept my mouth shut... No one wants to listen to me talk anyhow!

[hintplease]

[Oh... this feels familiar. Tsukasa hasn't really spent enough time with Akari to have mastered dealing with her, though, so she's just going to have to improvise with Mikan.]

I don't think anyone would hate you for a reason like that. I'm still talking to you, right?

C

[catsgothistongue]

[Ranma doesn't mean to gawk. Honest. But that icebreaker, if you can call it that amidst all the stammers and stutters, left him staring nonplus at the timid girl. When his brain finally jumpstarts itself back up again, all that comes from his lips is:]

5,000's kinda overkill, don'tcha think?

[Still processing everything else, but that was the first he could vocalize.]

[discerp]

N-no, not at all! There's one for every person and every kind of situation! Th-that way no one has to get upset or bored! And, and if I don't come up with anything, it'll just be even worse, people will get mad at me...

[She chews on the inside of her cheek, staring down at her plate] Th-this is an even worse start though, I'm so so sorry!

B

[nyx_it]

[The person protesting in the dressing area gets her attention. It's hard not to. Vetra's head turns, and every Big Sister instinct in her body makes her take a step forward, away from her own dressing situation. But the girl pulls away before she can do more, and the attendants let her.]

[Still... she shrugs off the measuring tape, the drapes of fabric and approaches the crying girl. Carefully. Like she would have when her sister was much younger.]

Hey. It's okay. [She pitches her voice lower, quieter.] No one here is going to throw you out.

What's your name?

[discerp]

[She's a little taken by surprise when she looks up, giving little squeak of a gasp and holding her breath. her immediate thought is that its some kind of skin thing, an illness or genetic condition. The names run through her head lightning fast before she settles on the fact that this might be, probably, an alien.

People from all sorts of different worlds indeed.

Her next thought is that she's being incredibly rude staring and she immediately looks to the floor] I-I-I'm sorry! Um, Um, I- I'm Mikan! Mikan Tsumiki. I'm-- The Ultimate Nurse, and I'm from Tokyo, um, Japan-- Uh, Earth! And--

[She stops her stammering to groan, pressing her hands to her face.] I'm sorry... I'm so nervous here, I don't know what to do. I can't talk to people at all, and I yelled at those seamstress people, and I'm so sorry...!

Re: Mikan Tsumiki | Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair | Tulip | Banquet

[loveschasinglost]

Camila's expression is unreadable as she approaches Mikan at the table, the stream of nervous chatter washing over her like a wave breaking on a rock.

"I am known as Camila."

Moving with practiced ease, she bowed slightly.

"Ah, a nurse. A noble career, I must say."

[discerp]

Camila's unwavering calm is sort of calming in and of itself. Though she still feels anxious, Mikan takes a breath, wringing her hands around a napkin and offering a quick bow of her own.

"I-it's nice to meet you! Ah..." She looks a little embarrassed, smiling sheepishly. "Thank you... I-I don't know about noble-- Well, I suppose it is, but I..." Mikan just doesn't want to consider herself noble, since she doesn't think she's doing it for really noble reasons. "It's just something I happen to be really talented at. 'Talents' are just, um...a big thing where I'm from, I guess you could say.

I-I'm sure you have more noble sorts of talents anyhow!"

B

[lovelikeyou]

Oh - ! Oh, no, no, please don't cry!

[ Rose rushes over once she realizes what's going on. She is a sympathetic crier, and already sort of starting to tear up herself, but she brushes past that as if it's not even really happening. ]

I'm sure they don't mind! [ She's not entirely certain, though. What does she really know about how this works? The castle and finery admittedly has her a little on edge; it often does when she makes the mistake of interacting with human royalty. ] We don't mind!

[discerp]

[Rose about to sympathy cry makes Mikan feel a bit more panicked, but she sniffles and wipes at her first, rubbing her eyes to remove the tears]

I-I'm sure it's really a bother to some people...I'm so sorry! [She looks miserable still, but at least she seems to be calming down] And I-I diddn't mean to make you worry or rush over either... I should've just kept my m-mouth shut...

C

[liedol]

[ Week. Ai's polite smile immediately turns just a little strained at the edges and she knows her own jittery nerves well enough to guess that'll read like a terrible condemnation if it gets noticed at all.

So rather than acknowledging Literally Anything awkward about this situation, Ai gives a little "ohhh!" of appreciation then clasps her hands together. ]

Wow, five thousand is a really wild number! [ YEARS OF SCHMOOZING AT WORK PARTIES, DON'T FAIL HER NOW!!! ] Your memory must be super good. But I guess you've gotta be smart to be a nurse.

[ Never mind an "ultimate" nurse, whatever that is. Then again, is this girl really old enough to be one? Not that Ai thinks she's making it up, but... is she one of those prodigies you see on TV who are in college before any of their peers have even learned their times tables? ]

[discerp]

I-I don't know about that... [She immediately shies away from the compliment, looking down at her lap as she blushes.]

I just got really good at patching up my own wounds and it grew from there, I guess... B-but when Hope's Peak scouts you, you don't really say 'no'... [Well, maybe some people have, but Mikan does not know them]

Um, s-sorry, I'm still getting used to the idea of...new worlds. You might not have a Hope's Peak Academy where you're from? It's really strange to think how different our homes can be, even if they might be the same country!

Uh.... R-right? [She's trying]

D

[monsterdaddy]

[Yoojin's just been staring and listening from a sofa seat, crutches leaning against the armrest, tea kettle forgotten in his hands. Luckily, he didn't start pouring before she began to speak. He blinks and comes back to himself with a friendly little laugh when she breaks her own spell. He's harmless, see?

He's noticed those bandages on her arms and the way she shrinks into herself. Whatever that tells him, he keeps it to himself.]

Aw, no need to apologize! I didn't know any of that stuff about tulips. You know a lot, huh, miss?

[discerp]

[She wrings her hands, nervously shifting her weight from leg to bandaged leg and back.]

I-I'm not a botanist or anything, but, um, I guess I know a little bit about things that can be used for medicine? I-I'm a nurse, back home, so um.... It's sorta my job to know some things...

[She trails off, embarrassed, and then falls awkwardly silent, looking for all the world like she's about to accept a scolding]