exploring Rakuen

[keepscalm]

Characters: England (sunneversetson ) and Alfred (fifty )
Format: Action
This log is: closed
Location: Around town
Summary: Alfred is a stubborn Discard that doesn't want to vow with anyone. England agrees to escort him around town. An accidental vow happens.
Warnings: Maybe England's language? Will edit as necessary.

[Well, now that he's in his uniform and has his raks, he can actually explore town without worrying about not being able to buy things. Within reason. He has a feeling 20 raks won't get him too far. Especially with a companion, which he currently has.

He really can't stand being so indulgent of America-related things sometimes.] I warn you that I'm not the most well-acquainted with the area yet either, so I'm exploring as much as you are right now. [He had the tour with Britannia, but he can only retain so much on the first go.]

Comments

[fifty]

There's a school store somewhere where you can buy PDAs and stuff.

[Alfred is acting more like he's five than fifteen, circling around everything multiple times, though he doesn't go so far from England that he can't see the person--country--thing. Alfred's not sure how that works, but he comes from a world where Godzilla attacking Tokyo is a slow day.]

After we go there we should try to figure out how to break out.

[He says this as if he was suggesting they go buy something to eat.]

[keepscalm]

I saw it, though I'd like not to spend all of the money that I have at once. [That'd just be dumb. He needs an emergency fund! Simple economics. Thankfully he earns more just for showing up to -- teaching, actually, which is exhausting -- class every day, but he knows he's going to eventually have to fight.

He's keeping a watchful eye on Alfred, making sure he doesn't lose track of him. Mostly because he doesn't want someone to lay into the kid for being an unescorted Discard. Really, he can't just vow with someone for the sake of having basic rights?

England's not expecting the statement, and accordingly stares with wide eyes.] That's a hasty decision to make for a place we know nothing about yet. [Or almost nothing. He'd read the rulebook and all, but he still felt like no one was telling him anything.]

[fifty]

Well you don't just stick around when someone kidnaps you, do you?

[Alfred regards England with a critical eye, as if he was trying to divine through him the sort of person who'd do that. It's only a few moments before Alfred decides such a person is incomprehensible to him, like some sort of starfish alien, and shrugs.]

I wonder if anyone's tried walking down the train tracks yet.

[keepscalm]

You rarely have much of a choice in war. [Well hey Alfred knows he's a nation, he might as well say it? He probably says it a little too distantly, void of the emotional weight it should have, but England's too disconnected with his own emotions to notice when he does that sort of thing.

Alfred's gaze doesn't seem to have the same effect on him that America's does -- that is, the urge to inexplicably quail under it despite his pride. He supposes he should be thankful for that. After calming a little from the sudden suggestion, he looks out in the direction that he knows the train tracks to be, even if he can't see them from here.]

I'd say that it depends on how long the others have been here, and how adventurous they are. After long enough, desperation may yield more drastic attempts to escape.

[fifty]

You should at least try the obvious stuff. Come on.

[War isn't something Alfred really understands; it's something he's learned about in school, something he's seen on television, but nothing he's experienced firsthand. That England is, well, England is still something he can't really grasp; he imagines it might be something like being one of those reality warpers or omniscient superheroes, the ones that never get age and just watch everything.

Well, that's nothing Alfred will have to worry about. He dismisses the thoughts in favor of grabbing England's arm and dragging him off in the train's direction.]

[keepscalm]

I don't really--

[Well whatever that sentence was going to be doesn't survive Alfred taking his arm -- which, rest assured, he sputters at very indignantly -- as he's dragged along towards the train. England could probably pull away if he really wanted, but that would mean ditching Alfred and he doesn't want him to get in trouble, even if he is a little troublemaker. He kind of wishes Alfred wouldn't touch him though, he's not a touchy person when it comes to strangers.]

And why is it imperative to do this now?

[fifty]

[Oblivious to any problems England may have with being dragged down the street, Alfred rolls his eyes very deliberately even though he's not sure England can even see it.]

Because we have to break out! Once I'm out my powers'll definitely come back and I can come back here and save the day.

[How he managed to make so many dramatic leaps in logic, who knows.]

Also, the food here sucks.

[keepscalm]

[...

England's staring at you, Alfred.]

Powers.

[This demands elaboration. And so does your logic. But powers thing first. Also he didn't even notice the food but that's because he can't cook, so his tastebuds are a little off-kilter.]

[fifty]

[Well, it probably helps that England doesn't have to eat off the Discard menu, too.]

Sure, I'm a mutant. I've got super strength, a healing factor, and I can fly!

[Alfred seems particularly proud of that third one, actually.]

[keepscalm]

[Him even noticing is debatable.

He listens to Alfred with a small frown. That really sounds like America, sans the literal flying, but America basically covered that anyways.]

Brilliant. [Dispassionate and distracted. He's really trying not to take out his America-related rage on this kid.]

[fifty]

[Alfred either doesn't notice England seems distracted or he doesn't care, continuing on anyway.]

I was gonna go to a school to learn how to be a superhero [no that was not actually what the school was for, it was so he could learn to not rip doors off their hinges wherever he went] but I ended up here instead. They must have known I'd be a really awesome superhero and wanted to stop me early.

[keepscalm]

[Damnit, he can't even say superheroes don't exist, if this Alfred is telling the truth about his nature and where he comes from. It tastes awfully bitter to have to admit that to himself.]

Do you have as convenient an explanation for the rest of us, then? [He certainly wasn't anything exciting or threatening like that.]

[fifty]

Interdimensional portal, probably.

[Saying that as if this were a thing that happened every day.]

[keepscalm]

[...sad thing is, he'd buy that. Even if it's a really shitty reason to end up trapped here.]

Wonderful. [Wow that sarcasm is almost thick enough to cut with a knife.]

[fifty]

We probably just have to beat up the guys in charge and take control of the portal.

[Obviously. Alfred is so good at theoretical heroing you have no idea.

Stopping at the train station to look it over.]

[keepscalm]

For some reason I doubt it will be that simple. [He really doubts the administration would have them fighting otherwise -- there's a risk of them getting stronger, after all.

England also looks at the train station, though his gaze has quite a bit more trepidation. He really does not want to get himself killed on Alfred's part, and walking the tracks sounds like a good way to accomplish that.]

[fifty]

[Alfred frowns at the station--namely, how empty it is.]

It doesn't look like anyone actually works here, does it?

[He looks around for any sign of workers, just in case.]

[keepscalm]

[England looks around, too, with a bit more caution.]

That seems to be the case. All the better for your ridiculous plan.

[He goes to cross his arms, and then remembers that Alfred still has one of them. Goddamnit you are interfering with his ability to huff, boy.]

[fifty]

It's probably just a front. Maybe we're not even being brought on a real train!

[Alfred finally relinquishes his grip on England's hand in favor of dashing over to the train tracks and looking down them both ways, as if he would be able to see a fake train just out of sight.]

[keepscalm]

[Thank goodness. He draws back as if burnt, tensely folding his arms over his chest.] I could believe that, but if that's true, then there's no point in trying to follow the tracks.

[...oh god kid that really looks unsafe.] You're sure you're going to be alright? [His powers don't seem to apply here, so...]

[fifty]

Sure!

[Alfred hops down onto them.]

They're just train tracks, it's not like they bite.

[keepscalm]

Some trains run on electric tracks, you know. [Though Alfred isn't getting electrocuted, at least.]

I'd be more concerned with the potential appearance of a train. [Nag nag nag.]

[fifty]

No one even works here, what train's gonna stop?

[Starting to walk down the tracks.]

[keepscalm]

The same one that brought you and I in, perhaps? [Now he's trying to remember if he saw anyone actually working at the station the day they arrived, but most things related to the train itself are very foggy for some reason. He was probably drugged. Wonderful.]

You realize you are my responsibility right now, I hope. [Yeah the track-walking is making him sort of nervous now. What about when Alfred gets too far out to jump back onto the platform if something is coming?]

[fifty]

Yeah, I know.

[That's not stopping him from walking down the tracks a ways.]

No one's showed up since we did, and the guys who were here before said they got here a week ago.

[keepscalm]

[Frown. Okay maybe he's worrying too much about this, but it's easier to admit that he's concerned about an America-like thing when said America-like thing didn't actually cross him somehow.

He doesn't say anything. After a moment, he just moves closer to the edge of the platform so that he can look out over the tracks for any sign of an approaching train.]

[fifty]

[Alfred keeps walking, apparently resolute.]

We'd hear a train way before it actually showed up. And there'd be vibrations or something like that.

[Alfred gets his knowledge from movies and television.]

[keepscalm]

Unless something more difficult to detect comes before the train. [Which would pretty much have to be the case, because he sure as hell doesn't remember getting on the train itself, meaning something else had to have happened before.]

[fifty]

[Turning back to look at England.]

Like what? It's a train track.

[keepscalm]

Hell if I know. [Huff.] Do you remember how you even got on the train?

[fifty]

No. I was on a plane. I just woke up on the train. It was pretty creepy, but it's not like kidnappers haven't used drugs and stuff before.

[keepscalm]

[He wants to bite something out, but even he's starting to become aware of how paranoid he's sounding.]

I am just trying to keep you safe. They are capable of penalising us for other things, and I'm sure there are punishments for trying to escape.

Especially through the obvious ways.

[fifty]

[Rolling his eyes.]

And what are you gonna do, protect me?

[keepscalm]

[He bristles at the sarcasm, but quickly regains his composure and turns up his nose. He will be the civilized one here.]

If it comes to it. It's only the honourable thing to do.

[fifty]

Yeah, sure, whatever.

[keepscalm]

[Alfred may now find that there's a symbol of ownership on the back of one of his hands. If we all agree that what was just said totally counts as a vow. England sure as hell doesn't notice, though, he's too busy being grumpy.]

Ungrateful brat. [Harumph.]

[fifty]

[Alfred does notice, since things don't usually appear on the back of his hands, and he's gaping at it like its existence physically pains him.]

Hey! What'd you do?

[keepscalm]

[England has no idea what Alfred is talking about. Look at that face. It is the face of a genuinely clueless man.]

What do you mean what did I do? You're all the way out there, I'm watching for trains like any sane person.

[fifty]

[Alfred, realizing England has no idea what he's done, feels at once more and less angry for it, because it's not even England's fault really and so punching the man in the face wouldn't be fair. He settles for holding his now marked hand up.]

Look!

[keepscalm]

[England squints at Alfred's hand, trying to make out the symbol. He still doesn't really have any idea what happened. Maybe it was in the rulebook? Okay, think, think...]

...

[Wait, did he...

He doesn't really even seem to be looking at Alfred's hand anymore as he goes over their conversation in his head.

And then, after a few moments, looks a bit horrified.]