Marcella Mansion

FRIENDS NEW AND OLD

Aditi slowly opened her eyes, the light on the ceiling above her piercing her vision. As she awoke, she gently put a hand on her head and squinted her eyes. Where was she? The last thing she remembered was being in the hospital she worked at. Slowly getting up to observe her surroundings, Aditi found herself in a small library of sorts. However, the books' covers all were written in a different kind of English. Perhaps an older version of it? Before Aditi could open the books or continue to look around, she heard a scream come from downstairs. It sounded like it came from a teenage girl. 

Aditi quickly raced out the room and down the stairs, thinking someone might've been in danger. As she ran down the grand staircase, she stopped. There were other people with her, none of which she recognized. 

"Dear god, can you stop screaming?!" a teenage boy yelled. He had a green streak in his hair and wore a black beanie with a rock-styled attire. The person he was yelling to was a woman seeming to be slightly older than him, with her having blonde hair and a more flashy outfit. 

"Uhm.... hello?" Aditi suddenly spoke up. The 5 other people turned to look at her. The boy with the beanie scoffed, "Great. Another sucker in this place."

Another woman with dark blue hair glared at him before sighing and turning to look at Aditi. "Ignore him. I'm Artemis, and this is my younger brother Xavier." Artemis gestured to a younger boy behind her, who seemed to be a bit shy. He had curly blue hair, black glasses and held a small camera with him.

"I am Aditi. Dr Aditi." Aditi replied, trying to make conversation. The boy with the beanie suddenly chimed in, "Yo. I'm Kyle. The screamer over there's Nicole." 

Nicole suddenly spoke in a high-pitched voice, "HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME?!"

"It's on your handbag, idiot!" Kyle spat back. Nicole looked at her bright pink handbag slung onto her arm before letting out a soft "oh". Aditi turned and saw that there was one more person with the colorful group. He was a tall and older man with a grey beard. He also wore a black cloak and held a wooden staff in his hand. Like something out of a fairytale. 

"So, doctor." Artemis began, "Any idea where we are?" Aditi jolted in surprise upon hearing herself being called before quickly replying, "No, unfortunately."

Artemis sighed. "It's fine. None of us have a clue either." Before a discussion could be held between the two women, Nicole's voice pierced their thoughts. "HEY! What are you doing?!" The two women, along with Xavier, turned to see Kyle slowly creeping up behind the old man. "Aw, come on! Did you HAVE to blow my cover like that?!" he said, annoyed. The old man didn't even turn to face the group, he just stood there. 

"Hey, old man! What're you looking at?" Kyle said rudely. Aditi already knew she was going to hate him. Kyle extended his hand to grab the old man's shoulder, but a voice suddenly interrupted him. "Just leave him alone, Kyle." Nicole said. She seemed to be upset whenever she even interacted with Kyle. Do they have history? No, it couldn't be. Nicole didn't know him when they first interacted. 

"Ugh, you're such a buzzkill." Kyle said as he slowly backed away from the old man, leaning against one of the mansion's walls instead.  Suddenly, a voice interrupted the group.

"WELCOME TO MARCELLA MANSION!"