New Arrivals (All new characters)

[utopiamods]

You're falling, and you can't remember why. It's a sickening feeling that makes your insides lurch; the darkness and the vertigo combine, and all you can think of is a story you heard once, somewhere.

Ah, I remember now. It's... a simple story that everyone knows. A legend of a Princess, the Demon Lord who kidnapped her, and the Knight who fought to save her. The Demon Lord had kidnapped the Princess countless times, but every time the Knight bested his challenges and rescued the Princess. No matter what tricks and ploys the Demon Lord used, the Knight would always triumph in the end. This was because--

The world tilts on its axis one last time, and the dream slips from your mind as easily as it arrived. A new voice intrudes on your sleep. Mechanical, monotonous.

"Next stop: Rakuen City. This train terminates here. The next stop is Rakuen. All change." The train rocks steadily. The sun shines through the window cheerfully and if you look out the window you will see rolling meadows full of spring flowers. Steam drifts past the window, it is warm. A mixture of sunlight and the heating of the seats, it adds to the dreamlike atmosphere.

It's strangely difficult to shake off the sleep; the rhythm of the train seems to lull you back into slumber and the air is warm and heavy, making it hard to keep hold of a thought. Finally, though, the nausea settles, the last of the dream fades and you can take in your surroundings. And, perhaps more importantly, those around you in a similar state. The train judders to a stop, through the rain lined windows there is a building and people gathered on the platform.

"We have arrived at Rakuen City. All passengers must leave the train. This train is terminating here. This is Rakuen."

Comments

[justaflowergirl]

Yuka groaned. She wasn't used to sleeping in a position like this. Her neck was sore, her legs felt stiff, and her arms managed to be both at once. It was the most thoroughly unpleasant awakening she had had in a long time.

As she began stretching, she got a feeling like there was something wrong. Her movements slowed, and then abruptly stopped, her face turning bright red.

My parasol! Where's my parasol! ... Ah! It had rolled under her seat. She quickly retrieved it. I hope no one noticed that...

Modesty restored, Yuka took in her surroundings. Embarrassment was quickly replaced by confusion. What -was- this place? She could see movement through the windows... a moving building?

As a long-time resident of Gensokyo, there was one obvious conclusion. "Yukari is fooling around again..."

But somehow, that felt wrong too. Yukari may love mischief, but she had certain lines she wouldn't cross. Yuka had never known Yukari to do anything to interrupt someone else's sleep; she loved her own too much to be comfortable with it.

"Next stop: Rakuen City. This train terminates here. The next stop is Rakuen. All change."

A train? She'd heard the term before, even seen pictures in books. But that kind of technology was completeley foreign to Gensokyo.

Was this the outside world?

[savedbyasong]

There weren't many people on the train, and none of them were Nezumi. Shion watched the girl with the parasol, if she was like the others he had spoken to she would have no idea why she was on this train traveling to a city that did not exist either.

[themiraclemiko]

"Rakuen City...?" came a similarly confused voice next to Yuka. Sanae tilted her head as she took in her surroundings once more. "This isn't Gensokyo..."

But what was even stranger is that she couldn't remember what Gensokyo was like. She could easily remember the name of her shrine... but not much else. Her head was spinning, and hurting. Just when she thought her day couldn't get any worse...

And then she noticed Yuka, and blinked. "Yukari? You mean... you're from Gensokyo too?" It was a wild guess, at least to her, but she couldn't remember any other place.

[justaflowergirl]

Yuka looked more closely at the girl next to her. She felt a vague sense of recognition, like she might have seen someone similar looking a long time ago, but not someone she really knew. Well, that wasn't so unusual. Gensokyo was a big place.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I know you. I'm Yuka Kazami. And yes, I'm from Gensokyo." She turned and looked out the window again. "It really doesn't look like it, does it?"

[themiraclemiko]

"Yuka... Kazami?" Sanae thought she had heard that name before. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but a few more seconds passed before she replied.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I thought I had heard your name before, in Gensokyo... it's very nice to meet you, Miss Yuka. I'm Sanae. Sanae..." Sanae what? She had to know her own last name. "This is so odd... I can't remember my last name." What was wrong with her? Forgetting her own name...?

[justaflowergirl]

Yuka thought about it. That did sound strange. Though one possibility did occur to her...

"I've heard certain kinds of injuries can cause memory loss in humans. Do you feel hurt anywhere?" She thought about it a little more. "I don't think I've heard of it happening to youkai. But I have no idea how I ended up on this 'train'. Other than being a bit stiff I feel fine though."

[themiraclemiko]

"No, I at least know I didn't hit my head or anything..." Or did she? That dream felt awfully real... but her head wasn't hurting. It was very strange.

"Then it's possible everyone else on this train has ended up here in the same way. But these people aren't from Gensokyo."