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

[duchy]

[Lithuania looks up at the girl, uncertain.]

Where are we?

[He's cautious, talking to a stranger, but he doesn't have any other option right now.]

[itsbrittanybitch]

Iuno. I can't even remember what I ate for breakfast.

[Shrug.]

But the voice over the train said Rakuen or something.

[duchy]

I've never heard of it...

[Looking around, he realizes he's in--something. He climbs up onto the seat again to look out the window, but it doesn't help much.]

What is this? This thing we're on? It was shaking before!

[itsbrittanybitch]

A train, duh. Are you from like the third world or something?

[duchy]

The third world?

[There's only one world, right?]

I've never seen a train before. Is it supposed to shake?

[itsbrittanybitch]

Yeah, like, the place where all the poor people are! Right?

[Shes the smartest ssshh.]

Yeah, it moves you from place to place so you don't have to walk or anything. [You might notice Brit is kind of excited that she gets to explain something to someone-- usually its the other way around.]

[duchy]

[You can explain lots of things to 13th century children!]

I don't think we're that poor... That's convenient, though.

[Lithuania is now imagining a big box on wheels pulled by horses.]

Um... I'm Lithuania. Who are you?

[itsbrittanybitch]

I'm Brittany. Lithuania is a funny name.

[She repeats it a few times, stretching out the vowels.]

[duchy]

[Lithuania frowns a bit.]

I like it. No one else has my name.

[itsbrittanybitch]

It's not a bad name, it's just a funny name.

[duchy]

I've never met anyone named Brittany before.

[Though he's heard of someone with a similar one, it's not exactly the same.]

It's nice to meet you, though.

[itsbrittanybitch]

Totally likewise. This is all some sort of like, magical adventure or something.

I hope there's unicorns.

[duchy]

I-it's probably bad to be spirited away by magic!

[itsbrittanybitch]

I've been taken away by aliens before. It isn't that bad.

[duchy]

W-what?

[Lithuania gapes at her.]

[itsbrittanybitch]

Yeah, they probed me and everything. It was weird.


[She believes a lot of things....]

[duchy]

[Staring. He doesn't even know what that entails, but...]

That sounds really scary!