Round 5!

[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.

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.

"Next stop: Academy Main Entrance. This tramline terminates here; all change. Next stop: Academy Main Entrance. All change."

Sunlight streams through the windows of the long carriage, making the seats almost uncomfortably warm beneath its waking passengers. The air is muggy and thick, the atmosphere deeply tired. Your nausea settles, slowly. The last of the dream fades.

"We have arrived at Utopia. Repeat, we have arrived at Utopia Academy. Could all passengers please leave the tram, as it is terminating here."

The tram pulls to a stop outside the academy station, and anyone onboard is ushered off and directed to the front lobby of the school. You can't miss it; there are signs up pointing toward the main entrance, reading "New student orientation" in big, bright letters. If anyone should care to move off the path, try exploring somewhere else, a teacher will conveniently appear to shoo them back toward the lobby, assuring them that "all your questions will be answered inside".

The lobby is big and spacious, looking more like a university or perhaps a fancy international hotel than a high school. Stood around are any number of students in the uniform of the school. Some of them even look awake. There are several receptionists at the desk towards the back of the lobby, but for now they seem busy with paperwork.

Anyway, the many screens are far more interesting. Once a good number of students are gathered inside the building, they all activate at once to show a cheerful, almost cavity-inducing woman in the school uniform. She smiles, waves, and launches into her speech without further ado.

"Good afternoon to our new students here at Utopia Academy! Thank you for choosing to enroll with us for this, our first semester of the new year. Our battle system is the best in the world, set up for you, our students! I hope that you all had a fun journey here, and that you've all made some new friends! You're going to need them soon, so keep them close, okay?

"Now, I'm going to explain the rules for you. Make sure to listen carefully, and remember, you can find all of this and more in the Exaclan manual!"

She outlines the battle system for the newbies as she has every round previous, then claps her hands. The screen goes blank, and the following appears:

Players for Round 5

Saber
Huashi Sun
Gaara
Excalibur
Xingke Li
Edgar Roni Figaro
Russel Tringham
Vriska Serket
Mikoto Minagi

((OOC: Also we have out first ever activity check! Here it is!))

Comments

[myblueskies]

Romeo managed a small smile when he saw miss Buckley, "Hello sir." He greated politely though not with his usual chear, he was trying very very hard to keep his spirits up but just like when Alfredo had died it was difficult. He tried to remember what Nikkita and the Black Brothers had taught him that day but still it was difficult not to feel sad.

Still he reached into his pocket and found the last of his battered apples, he usually collected more on his morning walks but today he had been looking for Utena, to find she had gone too and so he hadn't picked any. He had one left though and he handed it out to Miss Buckley with a smile even though his face was still stained with tear marks.

[ergaleomancer]

Theta frowned softly when she saw Romeo, not liking his saddened appearance one bit. She had to admit she liked the way he freely accepted her, and so she had come to accept him in return. Odd little boy that he was, he was friendly enough. She took the apple and tucked it into her pocket, then after a moment's thought, she mimicked her father's actions when she'd come to him in tears--she moved to put her arm around Romeo's shoulders, though the movement was certainly awkward.

"Thank you, Mr. Romeo. Are you all right?" She didn't think he was, it was rather obvious, but she would give him the opportunity to lie about it.

[myblueskies]

Romeo flinched as the arm came towards him and shuffled a little way out of range. He wasn't too worried, he didn't think miss Buckley would actually hurt him and he was sure he could out run her but he wasn't that happy with people touching him.

Anyways he wasn't a child needing hugged, he was practically an adult! "Yes sir, I'm alright," his voice shook a little, "Just... two of my friends are gone..." He blinked hard, he was not going to cry because Miss Sora and Miss Utena would not want him to cry! He had to be brave and carry on!

[ergaleomancer]

Theta let her arm drop to her side when he flinched away. She didn't want to admit it, but she was grateful that he didn't want a hug. She would have given one, but it wasn't something she particularly wanted for herself. Instead, she patted her pocket, smiling sadly as her hand touched the roundness of the apple.

"Perhaps they've been sent home? You should be happy for them, even if you can't see them any more."

[myblueskies]

Romeo wanted to believe her, but he had seen that girl disapear into think air, he had seen the tigers lair, the weapons of all those he had devoured. The weapons of those who had disapeared were there as well.

He shook his head, "No, they just disapear, into thin air I saw a girl go like that. If they went home they'd use the train wouldn't they? The tiger in the tower eats them..." He had to stay positive because he couldn't give up, just like he hadn't been able to give up when Alfredo had died.

[ergaleomancer]

She frowned softly, thinking on it a moment before shaking her head. "They can't be eaten by a tiger if they vanish into thin air. And it's possible they don't need to use the train to leave." She thought quickly, making things up to try to reassure him with logic.

"Think about it--do you remember getting on the train? I don't. I think the train in is a formality rather than a necessity. They're able to pull people here from parallel universes...I don't think there's a train capable of doing that. Rather, they give us the train to give us a concept of arriving here, but they could send anyone home in the blink of an eye!" 

[myblueskies]

"But I went to the tower..." Truth be told Romeo didn't expect to be believed, adults rarely listened to kids and he thought from the way Miss Buckley looked and acted that she was a noble lady.

How exactly a noble lady had ended up here Romeo didn't know but he kept silent and nodded. He didn't understand what she meant by parallel universes really, but he knew the other people here were not from Italy.

"As you say sir, that's probably what happened." He didn't believe her still but he knew better to argue with adults. He tried to give a bright smile and gestured at the screans. "Do you know anybody who is a player this time sir?"

[ergaleomancer]

She frowned when he mentioned the tower. There was a tiger in the tower? She'd have to investigate that herself later. Still, he seemed to be perking up as he considered her idea--she didn't realise he was just refusing to argue. So she smiled for him, determined not to let the bad mood stick.

"I don't. I think I'm going to go find Sherlock and ask him about players he knows. Do you want to come along?"

[myblueskies]

Romeo nodded, "Alright sir! I'll come!" He hadn't seen Sherlock most of the last round, he had been with that technology man, the man that miss Grenn said was not a witch. Romeo followed Miss Buckley, trying to stay positive.

[ergaleomancer]

Theta saw Sherlock and moved forward quickly, going to speak with him for several moments before belatedly remembering Romeo.