and then they fell. [rakuen revolution opening post]

[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 as it winds its way through white drifts of now. Sunlight streams through the window, heating the air and making the seats almost uncomfortably warm. A puff of steam from the train winds its way lazily past the windows when the wind is right.

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.

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

Comments

[drawsdeath]

Fortunately, she gets it the first time. "You can't talk? Wow...how'd that happen? ...No, I bet you can't tell me that..." She digs in her bag and pulls out a notebook and pencil, which she offers out to him.

[knightime]

He scratches his head at that question. How does one say 'I was born like that' in flaily arm language.

Oh a notebook and pencil. This girl is fucking prepared. He takes it from her and quickly scribbles down: never was able to.

Hopefully the girl could read his writing. He usually wrote fast and didn't bother making it eligible sometimes, although he's aware that not everyone can read his chicken scratch all the time. Hell, sometimes he can't read it when he's writing too fast.

[drawsdeath]

She peers at it for a few moments, squinting at it before it makes sense. "Oh, that's a real shame," she says, with all the sympathy of someone who didn't understand and therefore pitied him.

"I bet life's pretty difficult for you, then... I've never met somebody who was mute before."

[knightime]

Dave doesn't want your pity. He isn't any weaker or any less just because he can't talk. He continues to write, although he takes a little more time to write so it's eligible.

'it isnt that bad
i mean conversation is a bitch obviously but its not like i have any fucking problems with it
life is gonna be difficult anyways
if people really want to get to know me theyll put the effort in so if they dont
it means one less dumb fuck to deal with'

[drawsdeath]

That gets a laugh, and Becca nods her head understandingly. "Yeah, okay, I see that. My name's Becca, what's yours?" The pity was ebbing away since he obviously didn't need it. It couldn't completely go away like flipping a switch, but it was lessening.

[knightime]

'Dave Fucking Strider'

If she asks whether the Fucking is actually part of his name, he will probably say yes. Whether he's telling the truth or not? Well, that's something you'll have to guess. It's probably not actually Fucking, but there are some people he's tricked to believing it was.

[drawsdeath]

"Aren't you a little young to have that for a middle name?" she asked with a laugh. She wouldn't believe it was actually part of his name, but she might humour him and pretend for a while.

[knightime]

He huffs a bit. Well, he would, but no sounds really come out.

'bro had the best taste in names
wouldnt have given me a name unless he thought i was fucking worth it
spoiler
i am very fucking worth it
also thirteen isnt that young
and ive been through enough shit to figure i deserve it'

Because his session was full of bullshit anyways.

[drawsdeath]

"You're thirteen?" she asked in surprise. Her brother was almost thirteen, and suddenly a splitting headache tore through her head. She stumbled backwards into one of the seats and put her hands up to her temples, whimpering softly. "The fuck??"

[knightime]

He's taken by surprise when she reacts that way. He isn't sure what to do.

'u ok???'

He quickly scribbles and lifts the paper to her face.

[drawsdeath]

It takes a few moments before the paper stops swimming enough for her to read it. "Yeah, I just got a motherfuck of a headache the minute I thought about my little brother... You're about his age..." She pants in pain, but soon gets it under control. It seems she has a high pain tolerance and some training to not react to pain.

[knightime]

'ill just put a little mental note not to mention my age again jegus'

Wow, no wonder he didn't participate in conversation very often. Suddenly splitting headaches. Yeah, no. At least she doesn't seem like a total wimp. Not that headaches ever made him react that way before.

'guess 13 is a pretty unlucky number
cant wait for good ol 14'

[drawsdeath]

"That's never happened before, I don't know what the deal was," she says, finally standing up again and straightening her glasses. "So your brother helped pick out your name?"

[knightime]

There's a rather long pause. He's so used to not having parents and being raised by Bro that he didn't even realize that it meant he wasn't actually raised by parents.

'yeah you can say that'

It was the only thing he wrote. It was vague as hell, but he wasn't suddenly going to give her his life story.

[drawsdeath]

"That's cool. I pretty much raised my brother, so I know what it's like. I can't wait to get home so I can see him again..." See him and find out what he looks like. That headache...it coincided with realising she couldn't remember his face at all. Or his name. That terrified her.

[knightime]

'yeah
about that
i really fucking doubt were going home anytime soon
just saying'

On the upside. Your planet was probably not destroyed by meteors! But obviously, that's besides the point.

[drawsdeath]

She sighs, nodding her head. "Yeah, you're probably right. But I worry anyway."

[knightime]

'time shit
i bet time aint even passing where youre from'

Well. He isn't quite sure about that. But he wouldn't be surprised if time moved completely different between here and home. He shrugs lightly.

[drawsdeath]

"Don't be silly," was her disbelieving reply. She wasn't from a world where time shenanigans were possible, and didn't think he could possibly be talking about reality with talk of time not moving.

[knightime]

'wow
shooting it down before giving it a chance
come on
seriously
what makes you think that time is passing everywhere else???'

Whether she actually started believing it or not, he didn't care. Things didn't even go in chronological order for him sometimes if the trolls apparently had anything to do with it.

[drawsdeath]

"Time is always passing," she answered, figuring he was just joking again, like he had been about his middle name.

[knightime]

He actually tossed his arms up to show his frustration before jotting down word after word after word onto the sheet of paper.

'ok
i guess were going to do time shit 101
surprise
this isnt rocket science so look at it this way
your world is probably different from mine
but were both probably from earth
also fuck you im not explaining that shit ever so now you got some homework idk'

Dave paused for a moment as he realized he was getting off topic. He wasn't actually sure if they came from different worlds. But he just kind of assumed since the thought of anyone he met being dead from nasty meteorites was a pretty crummy thought.

'which fucking means that shit is on different planes or universes
which also means that time may pass the same on both our fucking earths or whatever
but that doesnt mean time passes the same between our universes
my universe can have time pass while yours doesnt and vice versa
get it???
got it
good'

[drawsdeath]

She takes the notebook away from him so she can read that a few times. Perhaps the fact that he can't actually talk is a good thing. She reads that over a few more times, then hands the notebook back. "So that would mean, if you're from one universe and I'm from another...we're in a third universe where time obviously is passing. And then the question is...the fuck did that happen?"

[knightime]

Oh boy. If his writing is snarky, she's going to hate when he starts texting. He's the epitome of sarcastic and witty comments and he's fast at it.

When she asks though, he just shrugs. How the fuck should he know? He waves his hand dismissively to indicate he doesn't know, nor actually particularly cares either.

[drawsdeath]

"I think us being drugged and put on a train in our own universe is a more likely story," she admitted, laughing softly.