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]

Becca was curled in on herself as she slept, her arms folded in her lap and crossed in front of her chest, trying to make herself as small as possible. She was sitting up straight as she slept, definitely a feat, but she managed it. She opened her eyes and pushed her glasses up, looking around in confusion. Today was...was... Oh man, she could feel a fog in her brain when she tried to think of it. Wasn't it somehow important? But being on a train was something she'd never expected.

"Uhm...does anyone remember what day it is?"

[savedbyasong]

"What day it is?" Shion blinked as he walked past the girl. "I... I don't know..." Then again he had lost track of time when he went to the West Town, without the rituals of school and work the days blurred into each other and there were more important things to think about.

"It should be nearly spring though..." He glanced out the window, it didn't look like spring... Hadn't it been the hunt? The tanks?

What was he doing on... a train?

He should have probably asked those questions before but he had been distracted by the blue talking hedgehog.

"Do you know why we are here?"

[drawsdeath]

"No way, I know it's December," Becca countered, but that just made her even more nervous. How on earth could there be someone here who thought it was nearly spring? "And I don't know about that, either," she admitted, hanging her head a little bit. "I didn't get on any trains, but when I woke up, I was here."

[savedbyasong]

Shion blinked, everything he learnt made everything make less sense. This was not how it was supposed to happen.

"There are no trains in No. 6..." He said quietly.

[drawsdeath]

"No. 6?" she asked curiously, not having the faintest clue what he was on about. "What's that?"

[savedbyasong]

"No. 6." Shion blinked, how could there be anyone who didn't know about No. 6. "That's my city." Well sort of, he had left it, but deep in his heart it was his if only he could make it kind and equal.

"Which city do you come from?"

[drawsdeath]

"Indianapolis," she answered easily. "There's cities named after numbers? That's so weird," she murmured. "What state is No. 6 in?"

[savedbyasong]

Shion was starting to feel afraid. Another place that did not exist. "Of course there are... state? I'm afraid I don't know what you mean..."

Nothing made sense, he thought he was used to being out in the real world after his time in the West Town but this was something else entirely.

[drawsdeath]

"How do you not know what states are? ...Aren't you from America?" she asked curiously, staring at him. She shrugged idly, not sure what to say or think about that. Obviously he was foreign, but usually even foreigners had some clue about how America works.

[savedbyasong]

"America?" Shion blinked in confusion, he thought that maybe one of Rat's books had mentioned an America once.

"No I'm from No. 6... I... America was an old country right?"

[drawsdeath]

"It's two hundred years old. And cities are inside states, and states are inside countries. I'm from Indianapolis, which is in the state of Indiana, which is a state in America," she explained. "What country is No. 6 in?"

[savedbyasong]

Shion just stared at her and shook his head, "Countries don't exist..." He managed to say and sat staring at her in quiet disbelief.

[drawsdeath]

She stared at him in return. "Of course they do. There's America and Canada and Mexico and England and France and Spain and Russia and China and Japan..."

[knightime]

Dave's answer to her question. Just a nonchalant shrug. Wow, you are just the most helpful kid ever. But he can't even give her a straight up answer. She wasn't recognizable, so he just assumed that her time was different from his time.

God, he fucking hated this shit.

[drawsdeath]

She sighs, but offers him a forced smile. "It's pretty ridiculous being pulled into this, huh?" she asks, trying to make conversation.

wow I english gud 8|

[knightime]

He stops for a moment.

Then shrugs again then throws his arms into the air to indicate frustration. Just go along with it man. It's like playing charades. How does one indicate 'it could be worst?' through action.

Maybe he should have taken interpretive dance or some shit.

Happens to the best of us. -patpat-

[drawsdeath]

"Nothing to say?" she asks, a bit snarkily. She'd never met anyone who was mute, so she didn't really understand what was going on.

[knightime]

You can see his lips turn into a frown.

He makes a yapping motion with his hand then crosses his arms in an X formation to try and indicate that he can't actually talk. Fuck, no wonder he hated playing charades.

[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.