01 // audio

[fatemeter]

Good evening. [However little that means in a place that doesn't seem to have actual days, it hardly hurts to be polite.] My name is Naoto Shirogane. In my... own world [there's just a moment of hesitation], I'm a detective by trade. As such, in the interest of consolidating what information we have, I have a few questions I'd like to ask.

[It might be a bit difficult to put a gender to the voice here without any visual cues. It is unambiguously young - but given the practised, professional air with which all of this is being reeled off, you might overlook that. To some extent, that's the point.]

Firstly: what are the last events you recall before waking up in this "realm of dreams"? Is the memory continuous as far as you can remember, or is there a gap?

Secondly: were you previously familiar with the phenomenon of movement between different worlds, voluntary or otherwise? If so, what comparisons could you draw, if any, to the process of entering this one?

Thirdly: from what you know of those in this same situation, can you think of any commonalities we may have had prior to our arrival here? Is there evidence to suggest that the selection is something other than wholly random - based on certain criteria, perhaps, or even a conscious choice on the part of some other entity?

And, finally... [This level tone of voice doesn't change.] Where in this place might somebody procure firearms, should the need arise?

[Potentially unfortunate implications? What unfortunate implications?]

I assure you, any answers you can offer will be helpful. Thank you for your time.

[Without fanfare, the recording switches off.]

Comments

NObody out-stubborns Naoto Shirogane >(

[fatemeter]

Communication requires a connection of some kind, no matter how trivial. Human societies, at least, are built on that fact. If that wasn't true, there'd be no need for detectives. [She's very matter-of-fact; it isn't a brag, or at worst not an obvious one.] And if we have no other leads, I wouldn't assume we can overlook even trivial open questions... But for now, this one is no more than a starting point, so I'll leave it at that.

That's an interesting alternative theory, at any rate. It hadn't occurred to me. [Though maybe it should have, now that she thinks back to what gave her this idea in the first place... If there's more inside the human mind than Shadows, why wouldn't that apply to dreams?] Has anybody asked them directly about their origins, by any chance?

I may have just tried to sing that to the tune of Gaston.

[unrecovered]

And having a shared dream isn't enough of a connection?

Not that I know of. The people who recognize them from the waking world would be the ones to ask. Most of them carry giant keys, so they're easy to find.

she's especially good at inveeeestigating - no I'm sorry this is beyond my ability :(

[fatemeter]

Giant keys...? I see. Thank you. I'll be sure to keep them in mind.

You're satisfied, then, that this is simply a shared dream of some kind, as we've been told?

That's okay I will treasure this forever.

[unrecovered]

It'll make sense once you see one. [Insomuch as anything here actually makes sense.]

There are people here from at least a dozen different worlds, most of which have conflicting histories and systems of science and magic. On top of that, several people have said that they've been here before - in the dream world, in this exact version of Traverse Town, Dream Eaters and all. If it's not a dream, then what's the alternative?

[fatemeter]

Been here before - but they, too, can no longer leave? Hmm.

[There's a scribble that might suggest she's jotting a quick note, mainly because she is.]

I suppose the alternatives are what I ultimately hope to narrow down. It does seem unwise to make too many assumptions about how this place functions, so long as the rules governing it remain unclear.