Ditto Town Library

[Sonny]

I.
Am.
In.
Shock.

What just happened?

[starkat]

I am going to go back and find out where I left my characters and catch back up this weekend. I apologize for the absurdly long delay.

[Aravanna]

Sonny, I blame 'gazer. Also, I'm operating under the assumption that the last few posts aren't permanent fixtures to the story, but just in case, I haven't killed off any of my characters yet.

And I'll look forward to your new post Kat! Hopefully it will return some sanity to this mess.

Aravis, I enjoyed reading about your new characters and look forward to seeing them in the story. You bring the perfect blend of whimsy and seriousness. I don't think you need to change anything to fit the story. Pretty much anything goes as long as it's an original character and PG.

(And if they're Fairy Godparents, does that mean they can give out wishes?)

[Ryadian]

A warning to anyone who hasn't been reading for the past couple weeks: check the timestamp on the first of the "WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!" posts! (Sorry, Sonny! )

Just posted another one of mine--I think I'm overthinking this whole thing, but it's fun, so there.

Ditto what Ara said--looking forward to your return, Kat! (Just so you know--I think we're willing to end the alternate reality whenever. )

And Elaina, ditto what Aravanna said. (Those two sound like they're going to be fun when they make it to town! )

*Disappears because she should've been in bed hours ago*

[starkat]

I've gotten a rather crazy Stargate related idea. What if...

We play into this April 1st storyline by developing a device that created a bubble around the town. Then either Katherine and crowd who are out with the elves can be the solution or some kind of resolution can come from inside the field?

I'm going to create a small setup paragraph that can either be totally ignored or be used to play off of with my idea in the spoilers.

Edit: My first post of at least 3 is up. The next two are actually already written. I needed to bridge my previous post and my next one.

[Ryadian]

Actually, I've had a couple of ideas (which I've bounced off a couple of people, so some of this may sound familiar to a couple people ), which is kind of similar:

Basically, an idea I tossed around to resolve this was that while Ryana is leading the Organization man to the "portal", they discover one that leads back in time--or, perhaps, to an alternate reality where none of this has happened, or however you want to interpret it. Ironically, later, I also thought to tie it into the Stargate idea--this portal to the alternate dimension was an effect of whatever it was that causes all this stuff to happen. And so, the investigation begins....

I hope that still makes sense outside of my head. I think the two ideas could fit together, actually.

BTW, I loved your new post, Kat.

SHOW SPOILER

*Wipes sweat off brow* Phew, I was worried he was going to be mad! Looking forward to your upcoming posts.

[Aravis_Tarkheena011]

@Ara. Yes! (but only to children that they have been given the honour of god-parenting).

Edit: And also, if anyone is interested in collaboration just PM me because Ainne is in a very good place to meet/talk to people at the moment.

~Enna

[stargazer]

Enna, at some point I'd love to collaborate with you. I'm sure my characters would love to meet yours. Alas, at the moment my characters are...unable to meet anyone (depending on how we proceed with the April Fools' story arc).

I also liked your post, kat; I've been waiting to see what kind of reaction they'd get.

Regarding the possible resolution of all this and your spoiler, Ryadian:

My original solution was that Abby had somehow glimpsed a very different, but very real, contemporary, alternate reality - not a dream, daydream, or nightmare. Somehow (as so often seems to happen in stories of that type), the 'boundary' between those 2 universes was temporarily weakened or something, allowing her to see this. So those events were real, and happened somewhere - but just not to the Silvermoons of this story.

But that's not to say things have to be resolved this way; I'm curious to see what ideas we come up with and am willing to help. Alas, my characters, as it stands now, can't offer much input to the discussion. [/ramble]

[stargazer]

Nice post, kat. I liked the nod to the older stories (the reference to the dittoist viewpoint) and that the King is welcoming his now-married children home.

Here’s another segment in my April Fool’s story arc. I liked the irony of Shannon coming from the gargoyles’ home world and returning Molly there, all without realizing it. (The gargs have done their best to keep a low profile; in many parts of their world their existence is at best an urban legend).

She and Molly/Jade are open to interaction with other characters before they reach the portal – but keep in mind that Shannon isn’t maliciously kidnapping Molly, but doing what she thinks is best for her. But this doesn't mean we can't have a little misunderstanding before this is made clear.

I have one or 2 more segments in the works that will resolve Molly's fate in her home world...

Let me know when you’re ready for Abby to press the RESET button.

[Varnafinde]

I.
Am.
In.
Shock.

What just happened?

I have been in shock, too - especially since the post didn't disappear immediately on 2 April. I thought of posting to share my shock, but I tried to post from work (after working hours) and the firewall didn't let me post on NarniaWeb.

Then I was more reassured when you spoke of it as your "April Fools' story arc"

I still couldn't think of anything to contribute, though

SHOW SPOILER

Is Shannon Lewis then taking Jade to the world where she will be Molly's double? The world which the "April Fools' story arc" world is a copy of, complete with a copy of Ditto Town and everything?

Let me know when you’re ready for Abby to press the RESET button.

I'm happy to see that there is a RESET button

I'm still wondering why the firewall doesn't trust NarniaWeb, though

[Ryadian]

(This may be the most successful April Fool's Day prank I've ever heard of. )

Ditto what stargazer said about your segment, kat--I'm glad they patched things up. And, again, loved all the callbacks to earlier stories....

About our April Fool's day arc--I don't know how you guys feel, but I think we should probably get back to the real world soon. I still like the idea of actually resolving this eventually, but as stargazer pointed out, his primary characters are kind of dead here. Plus I have a couple of "real world" segments that I'd still like to put up sometime soon.

...For some reason, that doesn't seem like it came out right, but I'm also running on little sleep and a nasty cold. So hopefully I'm still making sense.

[stargazer]

About the April Fool's segments: It's been a lot of fun, and I've enjoyed everyone's creative response to the original post.

Ryadian - I agree it can end soon; maybe we can wrap up what's happening with our characters. I have a couple of segments ready to go that will at least offer some sort of happy ending for little Molly

Varna - Interesting questions! I think my last pair of segments will answer them

[Sonny]

OK, peeps! I am finally getting around to coming back... and I love the idea that Starkat suggested! The HTD plot needs to go somewhere, and this is as good an idea as any. So here's the question: with the De Honds out by the HTD, do they experience the effects of the bubble or not? In other words, did the Emporium explode in their reality or not? I thing it would be nice if we had the magical fountain tied to the bubble, you know, as sort of the epicenter? Then maybe to make it even more complicated and fun, the HTD itself was on the perimeter for the bubble. So Eliana was on the outside of the bubble, and Loren was on the inside. So she is in one reality, and he is in another. Then the big question is this: how do the realities exist? Perhaps Loren sees the ruins of the Emporium, and Eliana sees the Emproium intact? And she talks with and interacts with the living gargoyles, but since she and Loren were at the cause of the reality division, The two of them can talk, and are the only link between the realities? Sorry, just got a little excited there.

[stargazer]

I also like the idea of using the HTD to tie in with this April Fools plot. Perhaps figuring out what's going on, and finding a way to restore things somehow, could be the overarching plotline for this story? (Or at least one of them). I'm flexible!

Thoughts on your post, Sonny:

The coexisting realities you mention seem very similar to what I have in mind...one in which Erik's family is fine, and another in which they're not. Both really exist and could be considered equally valid.

-My latest post and its sequel reveal that the Ditto World isn't the only one affected by this; the gargoyles' home world is too. (More about this in my next segment). Our characters' ongoing research may try to explain or resolve this issue as part of the ongoing story.

- I think Abby's RESET post will work into this plotline too.

-I like the idea of having the De Honds as the link between the two realities in the way you describe. Their ability to talk to each other could be how the characters in Eliana's original universe learn about the disasters in Loren's alternate one, and thus they could be 'recruited' to explore what's going on

Hmmm...a ramble of my own. It seemed clearer when I was thinking about it.

[Ryadian]

In response to Sonny: I love the idea of having them be on opposite sides of the "bubble"! Maybe this could be how the existence of two different realities can be brought to light for the characters who aren't aware/now only exist in the good reality. I think an introductory post for this idea, one that shows Eliana in one reality and Loren in the other, would kind of be a good way to lead into any "real world" posts people (like me ) might want to post without interrupting all the drama of the other reality.

One suggestion I have for how the two alternate realities can exist (which is, ironically, tied to the fountain, albeit indirectly. ) I was basically thinking time travel, since we have at least one time traveler who got her powers from the fountain.... Kat, feel free to veto this, because I don't remember if it's ever been established what happens when Olivia changes time, in terms of what happens to the old timeline--is it completely erased, does it exist as a separate timeline, or do the two just merge? Basically, what if this bad reality came from a universe where something was or wasn't changed in the "real" world, and that led to an Organization saboteur who saw the open door, took his chance, and caused all of this?

How, exactly, we have both realities existing basically right next to each other is an interesting question, but one that will be fun to answer.

*Is enjoying this a little too much* But, for now, I am going to go back to working on some of those "real world" segments....

EDIT: stargazer seems to have posted his response about the same time I was writing mine. Mine's a bit of a ramble too, sorry about that.

[Varnafinde]

In response to Sonny: I love the idea of having them be on opposite sides of the "bubble"! Maybe this could be how the existence of two different realities can be brought to light for the characters who aren't aware/now only exist in the good reality. I think an introductory post for this idea, one that shows Eliana in one reality and Loren in the other, would kind of be a good way to lead into any "real world" posts people (like me ) might want to post without interrupting all the drama of the other reality.
[...]
How, exactly, we have both realities existing basically right next to each other is an interesting question, but one that will be fun to answer.

*Is enjoying this a little too much* But, for now, I am going to go back to working on some of those "real world" segments....

I've kept Varna out of this altogether - I started (months ago) on a segment where she goes to London for the first time, but then we did the LotR DVD viewing first. I ought to continue working on the London segment.

SHOW SPOILER

So Varna wouldn't know about the Bad Alternate Reality having been visible for a while, until she's told about it later.

How well do you know Diana Wynne-Jones and her Chrestomanci worlds - all nine of them? There's no real travel between those. There was a shift once, causing one set of characters to move one space to the left, much as in the Mad Tea Party, and a generation before that, there was a boy who could go to all realities in his dreams (and take physical object back), but apart from those, I think people are stuck in their own reality.

Only don't wait for that London segment just yet - unless I should split it up over shorter segments, though, and get the first one (where nothing happens) up soon.