New Arrivals (All new characters)

[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. Rain pounds on the train and runs down the window in rivulets. Despite the rain there is a ray of sunlight streaming 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

[pennypincher]

[ Lemina doesn't wake from her sleep until the train jerks to a stop, jolting her awake. She sits bolt upright from the slumping position she was in, eyes wide. ]

That was because...?

[france]

[ He's been awake for some time now, in the fading in betweens of sleep and consciousness. His lashes flutter as the dream of a short haired princess dies on a breath, a beautiful girl with short hair placing her fingers in his. Her beauty slips from his mind as their fingers part in a haze of light, and he sits up, glancing around as his vision is swept with images of a booth, a couch, a window, and the scrolling of scenery in the background. ]

Qu'est-ce que c'est...? [ A hand reaches up to brush through his hair as he blinks and glances around. ] I could not have been this drunk. It is not possible.

[ Raising a brow, he stretches his arms out and yawns, ignoring the queasy feeling settling in the base of his stomach. He's used to nausea. ] Well then. [ He stands. ] Ra-ku-ah. I do not think I know of a 'Rakuen City'... perhaps it is a city in Japon... [ Strands of hair are pushed behind his ear as he glances around him. ] Because I know this is certainly not France.

[france]

[ He felt the jerk too, though he thought there was something charming about the uncomfortable ride. It goes to show you can never rely on technology, just like he's always said. ]

Perhaps it was to wake you up, ma chère. It seems to have done the... aaah, trick, has it not?

[pennypincher]

Huh? No, the story. I didn't get to hear...

[ She trails off as she realizes this isn't anyplace she's familiar with, and the other people on this train are all strangers. What the... ]

You! Who are you?!

[overthroen]

[ Darkness.

Rose felt the sickening feeling she always felt when falling into a dream, or waking out of one. Disorientation, that moment when she couldn't remember the last thing she'd done to get here. The moment dragged on. What was the last thing she remembered? She kept her eyes closed for some time, thinking. The pounding of the rain, the soft cushion of her seat, and the sun on her face weren't helping; little of it gelled with the bits of SBurb she remembered, except for the Land of Light and Rain. And she was pretty sure the name "Rakuen" didn't factor into the game at all, or the half-remembered legend.

A dream, then. Maybe. She opened her eyes.

Nothing changed.

Closed them, opened again. Rubbed a couple times. The blackness remained, the sounds and feelings too. She felt each breath she took, reached for an arm and pinched it, felt the pain. This was no dream. She was firmly planted in some world that she could feel and hear. The only difference from reality was that she couldn't see it.

Her breathing got faster. ]

[france]

That is a good question, ma belle. I go by many names. [ OBNOXIOUS MYSTERIOUS DOUCHEBAG MODE GO ] Some of which you may be familiar with, others, perhaps not.

[pennypincher]

Whatever, I didn't ask for your life story. Did you kidnap me?

[maidenknight]

[ It's not hard to tell when someone was about to panic -- there was a certain feeling to it, one that Brienne was feeling herself right now. Being trapped on a metal carriage (cage, almost, as she had explored from back to front with no possible way of exit) when she was supposed to be dead was a little discomforting.

But this young woman looked like she needed help. And though Brienne was panicking by herself -- this isn't the seven hells, this was a carriage -- she knew she had to sit that aside to assist those who needed it. Letting this poor woman agonize over her fate was too much to sit by idly and watch. ]

Lady, are you alright?

[ Her voice is hoarse -- strangling does that to you, she thinks -- and she coughs slightly before continuing. ]

Have no fear. As far as I can tell, we are alive.

[france]

That is very accusatory and rude to ask of someone who has just met you.

[pennypincher]

I just woke up in some weird place surrounded by strangers. What am I supposed to ask?

[overthroen]

[ Rose swivels her head quickly towards the source of the voice - or, at least, the vague direction of it. She almost gave herself whiplash doing so - trying to find something concrete to latch onto. That she wasn't alone comforted her momentarily, and then scared her all the more - this was definitely real. ]

Hello? [ She listens to the hoarse voice. Does she recognize this person? Is it anybody she knows? ] I'm not sure that reality is the most comforting state of affairs, at the moment. [ She's trying to keep herself calm, if there's someone here, but her hands are shaking violently. She forces them under her legs to try to stop them. ]

[france]

[ you're asking the new philosophy teacher an existentialist question ]

[ good luck ]

Well, that would depend upon what it is you wish to know. But how would you assure yourself that the answer I gave you was true? I could just as easily say I am indeed your kidnapper as I could say I am a helicopter. Neither are true, but perhaps subjectively, they are true in my perspective. Perhaps they are both true! Subjectively to you, they might be false, but who are you to determine what my reality is?

[ Crossing his legs. ]

Are you asking me subjectively what you are to ask, or objectively? [ A hand to his chin as he strokes at his beard. ] Or perhaps you were asking me a rhetorical question...

[pennypincher]

It was rhetorical! Oh my god, you're such a mega pain!

Look, I just want to know where I am, okay? Is that so much to ask?

[france]

[ He points up to the ceiling. ] Perhaps if you were listening to the announcement instead of making pointless conversation, you would know where you are.

[ you can punch him if you really want to, i would ]

[lilpuzzleteer]

[Of course this isn't France, it's obviously London. The muggy, rain-pelting feelings from the train were nothing new for the British kid, even if Luke usually fancied himself enough of an adult to not doze off at the rocking motion. He'd kept himself awake and aware on the Molentary Express after all, barring certain circumstances. This however was...different, and he couldn't help but let himself sleep, even through the unboarding announcement. He was curled up like he'd been sleeping on luggage at some point, but if it had been there, it sure wasn't now.]

[pennypincher]

[ Actually, she has the overwhelming urge to hit him with her staff... which she suddenly realizes she doesn't have. So instead she just shoves him out of the way with her newly-acquired schoolbag and storms to the exit door. ]

[france]

[ this is clearly the start of a beautiful relationship ]

[ He settles back in his seat and smiles, watching her storm off. ]

[stoatallymad]

[Firifale seems to doze longer than most-- interesting story, didn't want to leave before it ended-- but once the train is stopped it only takes a few bleary-eyed blinks to wake him up. His eyes widen instantly and flit from one thing to the next as he takes in the situation. Voice without a person... fascinating!

He hops up to crouch on his chair and presses his face and hands hard against the window.]

Ra-ku-en?

[He speaks slowly, tasting the word. New... he glances back at the other passengers. New, new, new! He's torn between excitement and wariness. New is good, yes, but not so much of it. No old at all. He pulls away from the window with a confused smile.]

Rakuen is...?

[stoatallymad]

[Ah! Girl knows! He missed it somehow, with the waking up. Firifale springs out of his seat and sits at the foot of Lemina's, staring up in rapt attention.]

Because why?

[pennypincher]

I don't know why! I woke up before I could hear!

[stoatallymad]

Oh.

[He positively wilts. Then, just as quickly, he bursts into a grin.]

Because heroes win, always? Because Demon Lord is not so smart? Because Princess helped? Could be, could be!

[pennypincher]

[ What a weird guy. ] Maybe if I go back to sleep...

...wait. You had the same dream as me?

[stoatallymad]

[You have no idea, Lemina. He tilts his head to one side.]

Dream? The story in the sleep, with the winning Knight and the not so smart Demon Lord, yes? Saw it!

[pennypincher]

Mega-weird. So maybe it wasn't just a dream...

[stoatallymad]

Definitely a dream. Was asleep. On train. No Demon Lord.

[Probably. But he hadn't checked...]

...No Demon Lord at all, yes?

[Just to be sure, he ducks down and starts looking under the seats.]