With [@Saber] :) .

Rose watched the woman examining herself, a standard for those who had suffered such an ill fate. A slight smile touched at the edges of her lips, a standard for the Guide observing the confusion. A question was put forth, rather loudly, to a god that certainly had no ears for plighted mortals.

“[color=FFB6C1]Hey, kiddo,[/color]" Rose said, her strange accent ringing out over the formerly placid field, taking small hops from the Egress' steps and into the grass. She allowed herself to acknowledge the pleasure of physical feeling, as she strode toward the Queen. "[color=FFB6C1]What's goin' on is exactly why ya here. It's a pretty heavy scenario, so I hope ya don't mind listenin' a bit to ya humble Guide before I send ya on your way.[/color]" She slid her hands easily into the pocket of her hoodie, lacing her fingers together.

"[color=FFB6C1]Name's Rose, Queen, and I'm here to answer the kinda questions ya just asked.[/color]" Her left hand freed its self and pointed lazily at the Pariah Dream. "[color=FFB6C1]Take a breather, first, though, and try to collect yaself. Sometimes Dreams ain't too keen on hearin' answers, or even talkin' with me.[/color]"

Aurelia’s eyes were sharp and her ears keen – a curse, in the busy, dinning city, far more than it was ever a blessing – so how had she [i]missed[/i] the ragtag figure loping – bounding – towards her? And that [i]voice[/i]! It careered around the place like a drunken Springan, all stops and halts in one place and then a languid drawl in another, calling to mind everything from a hawking Graeline fishwife one moment to the most laissez-faire of Springan aristocracy the next and, to round it off, all points in between.

Then again, she’d been gutted like a fish, which might explain the lapse. Dying was, surely, an acceptable excuse – even if she currently appeared to be hale and whole. [i]Appeared[/i] being the operative word.

Her brain processed the woman’s actual words a poor second, and for a few moments her mouth hung open dumbly. It’d been [i]years[/i] since anyone called her ‘kiddo’.

She paused, shut her mouth with a faint [i]click[/i] of enamel, and took a few breaths, although it wasn’t for the reason that Rose had encouraged her, oh no. Aurelia had been taught as a child to take ten deep, calming breaths whenever she was angry. The logic – or, more accurately, [i]hope[/i] – seemed to be that this small pause would help defuse tensions and feelings running hot.

In Aurelia’s case, it generally served as a pressure-cooker instead. 

“[b]Oh no. No no no.[/b]” Her eyes flashed as she stood up and marched closer to the Guide. “[b][i]Nobody[/i]-[/b]” she jabbed the air for emphasis “[b]-gets to babble on about mysterious happenings and then tell me to lie back and smell the flowers! I would like answers, if you please. [i]Somebody[/i]-[/b]” and now her expressive, soaring voice was a sibilant, venomous hiss “[b]-tried to kill me, which sent me to wherever the devil [i]this[/i] is. I want to know who and I want to know why and I promise you this, 'Rose Queen', I’ll see them [i]ruined[/i] for it. And in the meantime-[/b]” her voice was suddenly bright and airy again, as though nothing had happened “[b]-I would very much like to know where here [i]is[/i], and how I got here.[/b]”

Rose shrugged, unphased by the Dream's outburst. It wasn't uncommon for reactions like this to be at the forefront when someone was confused or uncertain. However, the Guide felt it might be a little more than just confusion. Seemed like she was dealing with a silver-spoon type.

"[color=FFB6C1]I do,[/color]" she said, as though the fact were plain as the pleasant day that surrounded them, "[color=FFB6C1]and if ya wanna get your answers in proper fashion, I suggest ya take my advice. Yellin' ain't gonna help nobody, let alone you. Also, ya got it wrong. I'm Rose. You're 'Queen', and since ya forgot ya manners, I'ma keep calling you that.[/color]" She removed her free hand and pointed it at the girl, who had hastily approached her. "[color=FFB6C1]You'll have ya chance to [i]ruin[/i] what did ya in, but that's a long ways off and ya got a long road between them and you. Not a road without hurdles, mind ya. 'Queen' is ya title. 'Queen of Gates', more specifically. Don't bother askin', Pariah Dreams are supposed to figure out their powers on their own.[/color]"

 The Guide shifted on her heels, her slightly moist sandals squeaking as she did so, looking the girl up and down; admiring the arrogance she brought with her. She hoped the girl was a quick learner. That kind of talk wouldn't fly with most of the other creatures in Navain. Still, she gave her best smile and did her job,

 "[color=FFB6C1]This place, here, is Navain. Not the field, the world.[/color]" Aware of the conversations that had taken place previously, Rose was somewhat hesitant to provide the same line again; but would do so nonetheless...spurred on by the surprisingly pleasant shift in tone from the girl. "[color=FFB6C1]That big ol' monstrosity is the Hollow Egress, and it's where ya gonna be meeting the others like you, and doin' a favor for me.[/color]" Letting it linger for a bare moment, she continued. "[color=FFB6C1]That is, if you wanna make it home.[/color]"
 
Rose relaxed, stretching her arms upward and spreading her feet apart; letting loose a near-squeaking yawn. "[color=FFB6C1]Ya death ain't got nothin' to do with anyone from your world. What offed ya was what I like to call a [i]Slaughter Doll[/i], a sort of incorporeal assassin designed to infiltrate Corporeal Realities and end the life of those that have a Corrupted Fate Kernel.[/color]" She felt Aurelia would ask a question about that, so lifted her hand in a half-plea for silence. "[color=FFB6C1]I can't tell ya about any more of that. S'forbidden to me by the orders Scribe gave me. The others and yaself will get a lot more info, once you do this favor for me.[/color]"

 Contemplation colored her already dark features. "[color=FFB6C1]Explainin' what Navain is would take a long time, but I can tell ya how ya got here...aside, uh, y'know, from being murdered. I ain't have nothin' to do with that, by the way.[/color]" Her smile returned. "[color=FFB6C1]Ya got here through translocation between your Corporeal Reality and the Layered Reality ya standin' in, now. The process its self is pretty interesting, but, again...can't tell ya.[/color]"

 She bit down on her knuckle, and spoke around it.

 "[color=FFB6C1]Anyone ever tell ya that you've got a real temper...uh....what's ya name, again?[/color]"
 
 "[b]Aurelia,[/b]" she replied calmly. "[b]Aurelia Campbell-Ross-[/b]" a flash of a white-toothed smile "[b]-at your service, I suppose.[/b]" She took a half-step back on the dew-laden grass, moving from an imminent attack range to something much more approaching a normal distance for conversation. Even so, she wasn’t about to let the girl’s less-complimentary remarks go without comment, which she supplied with a raised finger and a wry little grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. She did so [i]love[/i] a good debate – even in such strange circumstances.
 
“[b]For the record, yelling – which I wasn’t doing, by the by, I’m capable of [i]far[/i] greater volume – [i]does[/i] help. It helps me, particularly in the absence of anything conveniently breakable nearby. I have been plucked out of what had been shaping up to be a [i]very[/i] pleasant evening by some creature I’m sure came from the mind of the more twisted sort of horror novelist – a [i]Slaughter Doll[/i], you said? – chased to within an inch of my life, opened up from groin to gullet and then dumped here! Exercising my [i]entirely[/i] understandable-[/b]” her eyes dared Rose to disagree “[b]-feelings with a brief – [i]brief[/i]! – rant is a far safer way of dealing with things than going quietly mad or bursting into tears. Both of which are Not On.[/b]” The capitals slid neatly into place, and Aurelia took another deep breath, compressing her rage still further, suddenly smiling a bright smile that, quite on purpose, didn’t reach her eyes.

“[b]But. I shall always strive to be irenic, despite base accusations regarding my temper.[/b]” She held out a hand. “[b]A pleasure, I’m sure, Rose.[/b]”

More words poured forth from the girl – in that whipsawing voice – but whilst Aurelia understood them individually, and whilst she wasn’t [i]thick[/i], she also found herself all at sea with some of the more significant phrases. 

“[b]I’m sorry – Pariah Dreams? Corrupted Reality? Titles? Powers?[/b]” She shook her head helplessly. “[b]I understand the words individually, but together…[/b]” her voice tailed off, and again that wry smirk twisted her lips even before the Guide could reply. “[b]Let me guess. You can’t tell me that either. Very well, very well; you’re a messenger by your own admission, and it would be unfair for me to vent my spleen as I might like.[/b]”

She regarded Rose for a moment, eyes dancing over her form, noting every bit of it, inspecting and scrutinizing and trying to catalogue. “[b]You said there were others. Ergo, you’ve done this before. Allow me to ask, then – if you were in my position, and – knowing what you yourself do, and what you can tell me – what question [i]should[/i] I be asking? What will be most helpful?[/b]”

Rose removed her hood, revealing her visage in full. Almond shaped green eyes stared out, half-lidded and touched with the dark rings of sleeplessness. Her nose was straight, and a bit long, sitting above full lips that bore a light pink tinge to them; though it did not seem to be any form of makeup. Her face was gaunt, but not so much so to imply sickness; accented well by her angular features. Pink hair, seemingly straight, came cascading down when the hood was removed. Where it had framed her face before, it now surrounded it in a mane of unruly curls and gentle slopes. She ran a hand through her hair, mussing it with some vigor and gave a big smile to Aurelia. 

"[color=FFB6C1]Well, then, s'nice to meet ya Aurelia,[/color]" Rose smiled slightly, bringing a knuckle to her lips to lightly suck on it before applying pressure, "[color=FFB6C1]and ohohoho, no worries, I'm sure ya can get louder if ya need to. And yeah, a Slaughter Doll. They tend to play around with their victims, before finishin' 'em off. Don't take it too personal. It was a necessary event, as bad as it mighta been for ya,[/color]" She contemplated the brutal nature of the Dolls, briefly, and imagined Aurelia running for her life from an enemy she couldn't yet hope to contend with. Smiling more broadly, she reached forward to put a hand of the woman's shoulder, attempting to provide some comfort; though she fully expected the Queen of Gates to react with venom. Sometimes Rose found it hard to help, but helping, sure as all the realms that constituted the idea of hell, was [i]not[/i] her real job. Helping was more of a passion. The Dreams that came before her were certainly in need of guidance, and that is damn well what she planned to do. Letting Aurelia vent was only a small part of that.

"[color=FFB6C1]Look, kiddo, m'sorry ya night got ruined and ya ended up, here, but that ain't even remotely important to what ya gonna be doin'. And if ya that mad about me sayin' something about ya demeanor, I can only hope the others are gonna be super nice to ya.[/color]" Giggling, the Guide stepped back, taking the offered hand and giving it an acceptable shake; lest she damage the girl.

"[color=FFB6C1]Yeah, though, the terms. I can only tell ya a little, given my P.R.P outline; so I'll do ya a solid. Pariah Dreams. Prime Entities with a Corrupted Fate Kernel are usually subjected to the scrutiny of a Scribe, who ya prolly will get to meet later; Scribe's kinda like...uh, my boss. We'll talk about that if ya make it through the Egress. It chooses the Prime Entities to inhert their Anchors and allows 'em a Manifestation.[/color] " She shifted on the balls of her feet. "[color=FFB6C1]Bein' in your position...[/color]" A muted sorrow flickered through the Guide. "[color=FFB6C1]I, uh, I dunno what to tell ya, Aurelia...I've been here before, just like you. But that's, uh, that's...that's somethin' I'll tell ya later. Ok? I promise.[/color]"

 Shifting, again, she regained her focus. "[color=FFB6C1]If I was you, I'd be asking what it'd take to get home. To get out of this place. I'd be askin' a lotta things. Unfortunately, the only one I can answer is [i]how[/i] ya get home. Once ya get your Anchor, I can give ya that chance. I can't say how, but I can tell ya that...you'll be comin' back here, like it or not.[/color]"

Rose's lips turned downward.

"[color=FFB6C1]Right now, though, the most important question is whether or not ya gonna go into the Hollow Egress. It's ya choice, Queen of Gates. Ya can join the other Dreams, or ya can live out ya days here...in Navain.[/color]"

“[b]Of course my date wasn’t important, in the grand scheme of things![/b]” Aurelia exclaimed. “[b]Almost nothing is. I’d never met her before that evening, anyway, and there are [i]always[/i] more in Clubland, any day night of the week. Doesn’t mean I’m not cut up about it. As for my demeanour…[/b]” unconsciously, every muscle in Aurelia’s body tensed, singing like wires against her bones, an almost electrical crackle running across her skin.

“[b]People will be prejudiced,[/b]” she answered with a nonchalant shrug that fooled no-one. “[b]Yes, my family has money and influence, and so do I, and yes I went to a good school and a fine university. But where does that give anyone the right to go: ‘Oh look, there goes the posh bitch, thinks she’s so much better than us with her stuck-up accent and her pretty clothes and her [i]education[/i]. Got her job because Daddy owns the company, or because she opens her legs for every executive who comes sniffing round for a bit of posh totty.’ If I were so rude, if I claimed that anyone with a Docklands accent was an idiot thug with their brains in their biceps and not fit for anything more than carrying crates and fucking whores behind them, it wouldn’t be tolerated for a second, but the wealthy and the well-bred are [i]acceptable[/i] targets, these days.[/b]” There was a flash of hurt there, dark and deep in Aurelia’s eyes. This was a topic she’d revisited many times.

“[b]I might think your accent, which I can’t place for the life of me, is grating and your manner annoying – indeed, I’ve just [i]told [/i]you so - but you won’t find me expecting you to change it as though it’s my due to shape and mould you, and to cut off all the bits I don’t like.[/b]”

Another smile, and the singing tension left as abruptly as it arrived. Aurelia even allowed the touch on her shoulder with nothing more than a brief shiver. “[b]I’ll hold you to your promises, even though you’ve given me a Hobson’s choice there. My life was [i]good[/i] – not perfect, no-one’s is – but good, and I rather liked it. Of course,[/b]” she added, suddenly distracted and whimsical “[b]I never had anything to compare it to. Never been anything but a Campbell-Ross, with all that entails.[/b]”

She shook herself, visibly. “[b]Which is to say, I need to return. I have everything for me at home and nothing in this Navain place, and if the way to pass between one and the other is through this Hollow Egress, then through it I’m going – with or without your other Dreams.[/b]”

Some people miss the point. Rose was guilty of it, from time to time, at least when it came to interactions with Prime Entities. "[color=FFB6C1]Ya definitely need to relax Aurelia. But, hey, ya basically said it. It ain't my place to go on about how you act.[/color]" She considered taking offense to what the Pariah Dream had said, both about her accent and attitude, but Rose couldn't find it in herself to do so. She had always been like that, trying her best to maintain a laid-back attitude and casual way of talking. If the new Dream didn't like it, that solely fell into the purview of [i]her[/i] problems. However, it did make her feel...[i]something[/i], though the certainty of that feeling was entirely nebulous. Perhaps something akin to admiration...or the uncomfortable caress of someone's dislike. 

The girl had guts, that was for sure. Rose wondered about the pain in Aurelia's eyes, and the vitriolic near-outburst. She wanted to press, to attempt to understand the girl a bit better; but now wasn't the time, and it sure didn't seem like the mood was right for a friendly extension from the Guide. She doubted, distantly, that the two of them would be anything close to friends, anyway. A thought that, for some reason, saddened her. A Guide was supposed to be able to assist their Dreams in any way necessary...in any way she could. 

With a sigh, she continued.

"[color=FFB6C1]Thems the breaks, kiddo. Sorry to put ya in a situation like that, with the choice n'all. If it were up to me, you and the other Dreams would be livin' ya lives like nothin' was wrong.[/color]" It was true, but Rose certainly didn't have any say in the matter. "[color=FFB6C1]No worries, though, Aurelia, my promises are as good as gold. I promise.[/color]" She gave a wink and a smile, stepping away from the girl and making slow steps back toward the Egress. "[color=FFB6C1]I'll do what I can to get ya back there, but don't think ya can go it alone. I dunno much about ya, but I can let ya know that this ain't the kind of place ya can run lone wolf and expect to make it outta most situations. Beings that can do that are pretty rare. Not to put ya down or nothin', but Aurelia; ya weak, in terms of ya Manifestation. Ya weak in terms of ya essence. Those things might change, if ya can manage to survive long enough to make it out of the Hollow Egress without having your existence stolen or your 'current' body destroyed.[/color]"

She met Aurelia's gaze evenly, the arabesque depths of her odd iris digging into the haughty girl.

 "[color=FFB6C1]The Pariah Dreams are a team for a reason. If one Prime Entity could deal with all the problems on the horizon, there wouldn't be any need to draw out seven of ya. I'm glad ya got the drive to make it back, Queen. I'll be here to help, if ya think ya need it.[/color]" Her demeanor had changed, a little, to the observant. While she maintained her smile, it felt like a facade. For some reason, she felt that Aurelia was in more danger than the others. As though she would make herself a target in one way or another.
 
 "[color=FFB6C1]But, yeah, do what ya gotta do. Once ya pass that doorway, we won't talk again for a while. I'm sure that suits ya just fine. So, yeah, that's that.[/color]" Her mouth opened slightly, but no words escaped. Instead, Rose shrugged. "[color=FFB6C1]I hope ya do good.[/color]"

“[b]And on that [i]happy[/i] note,[/b]” Aurelia remarked slightly acidly, “[b]I had best be off to face this latest twist in the skein of destiny. I see no-one else around, and I daresay it'll only get worse the longer I dither. My thanks for what help you were able to give. See you on the other side of the madness.[/b]” 

Squaring her shoulders, gathering her hauteur around her like an empress’ train or a knight-paladin’s armour, Aurelia resolutely turned away from the Guide and towards the eye-sucking [i]wrongness[/i] of the Egress itself, her steps quick and sure, rapidly vanishing into its fractal geometries.