robowest | [ WEEK ONE

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game: start

[ WEEK ONE – ARRIVAL ]

ARRIVAL

It's a surprisingly quiet ride. The passenger cart is nothing more than wood and a bit of cotton to cushion the seats but for some reason, even as the train hurtles along down the track, the cart remains silent. It only starts filling with noise when the passengers begin to stir.

There isn't any indication on how you got here. No grogginess, no injuries -- in fact, those who arrive with injuries might find them healed up completely (of course there are others who won't be so lucky) -- but in one blink and the next, you are here, on this train. Maybe you're even sitting next to a friend. Maybe a stranger.

Won't be any time to talk either, the train suddenly slowing down with enough of a jerk to throw its passengers back into their seats. A few seconds later, it comes to a complete stop and with a whistle, the doors open and a voice calls from outside. It's male, with a slight mechanical twang behind it and anyone who looks out the window towards the station can just about spot the portly man out on the platform.

"You might as well come on out, folks. You won't be getting any answers on the train."

Once everyone is out on the platform, the man stands before them taking an assessing look at each person. There is something very off about him, though he looks human enough -- but his eyes are too white, his skin too dry, and his hair is doesn't shine quite right. He is dressed in a flannel shirt, suspenders, and jeans, a cowboy hat atop his head and a badge pinned to his shirt that reads "Sheriff". After a moment, he gives a gruff nod and speaks again.

"Howdy. Real happy to see all of you. Explanations will come... Sunday morning, yeah. Give y'all a bit of time to meet each other. Settle in. Keys are on the table over there, hat and pistol in your room. Don't, er... Don't shoot each other right away but if you do, my office is over there. Go get some dinner, sun's about to set. Wouldn't want any coyote trouble."

And that seems to be... it. The Sheriff tips his hat and turns to head to the building with the large "Sheriff" sign on the front. There is a table nearby, keys neatly laid out for everyone with nametags attached to each one. An owl hoots in the distance and a breeze passes through the group. It's quiet again.

Welcome to game start! Characters will find their items in their hotel rooms and anyone who goes to visit the Sheriff after he leaves will find the station empty. On top of that, rulebooks will not be available to find until later. The Sheriff might be forcing it a little but it seems like the intent here really is to get everyone to interact with each other. If there are any questions, PM or hit up the plurk at

robowest!

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[ He listens patiently, though there's no shift in his expression or his posture other than a very small quirk of more of a smile. Clearly, he's a man that speaks in subtleties, which is very much opposite of Yuna. That contrast is what gets his smile to quirk over anything else. ]

That would make sense. This place seems isolated enough that our food must be a bit more fresh.

[ And don't get him started on the dry and dusty part... He's already not a fan of that. He inclines his head very lightly to her, but it's a small gesture too. ]

Though the flowers have taken your preference the most, I notice.

[For as aggressively and insistently expressive as she is, Yuna reads people fairly well, and she takes that tiny twitching smile and beams even brighter herself because of it—although she does falter for a second she'd gotten so excited about playing with the cows that she forgot that people eat those... The mention of the flowers is all it takes to completely perk her back up.]

I've never seen some of these before! And...I thought some of these didn't grow anymore...! So... [She takes another big breath, shifting the pile in he arms, but she's collecting herself quickly.] I picked a few for pressing!

["a few"]

[ It's okay, just let the bad cannibal joke go... don't indulge him... ]

[ Hannibal steps forward at this point to curiously take a look at the flowers she has. It's fairly clear that he'd like to see one, but he won't be so rude as to ask. That, and he gets a fairly good view idly. What kinds of flowers does she have, because Hannibal is definitely about to spew poetic about flower language. At least that gets his smile to grow, though. ]

Then it seems you'll be quite busy with this many. Are you planning on a larger piece of artwork, or is it simply enjoyment?

[ Though casually, he does add: ]

Which do not grow?

[absolutely not

If she tries to take any one flower in her hand, she's going to drop her whole bundle, but she shifts to hold them out towards him.] Here. [It isn't like she doesn't have a million of them and more to pick anyway. She's gotten an impressive variety, but it looks like she's mostly picked based on colors; she has a penchant for pink but there are a ton of blue ones, too, with a bunch of yellows and reds and greens—her best friends' favorites. She likes anything weirdly-shaped in particular...]

I haven't decided. I wanted a few for my collection...but I'll definitely make some bookmarks and stuff for my friends, too. [She's trying to shrug and nod to indicate flowers as she's talking about them, but...there are so many...] But I didn't think these sorts of lady slippers grew in the wild anymore, or that these—um, dahlias, grew at all...

[god i don't actually know a goddamn thing about flowers i am bullshitting this so hard but the few more she points out, eager over having them, are mostly the sorts of things native to the Americas if Hannibal is pretentious enough to notice that sort of shit but they are also...definitely not any kind of extinct..???? and yet Yuna sounds so sure of herself.]

[ It's okay, Hannibal does. Probably does. He fucking knows everything because he's an asshole.

He smiles as she holds out the whole bundle, but leans closer to take one of the dahlias. It's pinkish, but definitely more on the range towards red. He has particular color preferences. His expression is soft, but definitely admiring of the flower, but his expression turns back up to her with surprise. ]

Really? Lady slippers are rather uncommon in the wild, but I see dahlias often enough. Horticulture is not a subject I am especially well-versed on [ liar ], but I believe the dahlia is especially hardy.

[Yuna pauses, glancing between the flower he's picked and her bundle again, utterly confused. She'd been so sure—she looks at the dahlia he's taken again, and then she's right back to her smiley self.]

I must have been thinking of something else. [But this is definitely gonna bug her all week.] Oh! Did you know some people would use dahlias as symbols of everlasting bonds? [She's super excited about flower language.]

[ The answer to the dahlia is one that Hannibal accepts easily enough, though he does briefly wonder why. She'd spoken with enough confidence that he assumed she was well versed, but he can't think of a similar flower that might have that kind of status.

But, that's neither here nor there, at least for now. The topic of flower language is one that gets him to nod very lightly. ]

It is. The meaning of flowers tends to differ depending on the resource you choose, but that makes it all the more useful for finding a meaning. Elegance and dignity are others. [ and hilariously warning, change, travel or betrayal apparently WHAT A FITTING FLOWER i mean ]

As your arms seem full, may I offer to help you carry them? Since you've gone through the effort to bring them this far, it would be a shame to lose any.

[Her eyes light up, thrilled by the prospect of having someone to talk about flower language with. Flower dealings are her favorite hobby, but none of her friends are into it like she is, and there's a despairing lack of a flower-pressing club's existence at her school, so what's a girl to do.]

Ah, yeah! The different ways people see those kinds of things is so cool! [And she starts to move her arms like there's a gesture she wants to make as she says it, stopping abruptly because, right, pile o' flowers.

So her smile brightens even more at his offer, and she just sort of...holds the pile out to him again, since her arms are too full to even hand over some flowers properly.] That'd help a lot, thank you! I just want to leave them in my room so I can get the rest of the stuff I need to press them...

[ He's at least very careful with how he collects what flowers he can, as if he were concerned about crushing any of them. It does make the process take a little longer than simply taking them all in one bundle, but he's personally in no hurry. ]

Of course. With a lack of anything else occupying my time, I'm glad to help.

[ Because he can't spend every moment with Will. Life is hard and tragic. ]

Though, pardon me. I'm helping you with your project, and I've yet to introduce myself. My name is Hannibal Lecter.

[She's happy to wait for him to gather the flowers, pleased that he's being so careful (like she doesn't keep dropping them and scattering petals because she got so excited on the way back, whoops).]

Oh! Sorry, I should have remembered, too. [Now that she isn't completely inundated with flowers, she can bow without upending the whole stack, because she's a polite bean.] Yuna Yuki, second year student at Sanshu middle school. It's really nice to meet you, Mister Lecter!

And you as well, Miss Yuna.

[ He's gathered enough of the flowers to at least take a fair amount of the burden so that she's not leaving a magical girl-esque trail of flower petals behind her. Maybe that's a shame, because it would definitely be appropriate?? ]

Please, lead the way and I will follow.

[And off they go! She's slow-going, still a little tired from her earlier sprint even though she's not half as frazzled as she was when she first came over to shove flowers at him.]

Hey, Mister Lecter, do you have a favorite flower?

I certainly do. Before I was moving frequently, I kept my house decorated with many different arrangements.

[ He answers with a smile in his voice, but there's a brief pause before he continues. Hannibal has to think on the answer, since there are a fair amount of flowers that he likes, but picking a favorite is more difficult. But eventually, he decides on one. ]

The Queen of Night. It is a particular variety of tulip that comes in a beautiful, dark shade. It is not truly black, but a deep enough purple that you could mistake it for such.

[ He smiles, then returns the question with a smile: ]

What about yours? If I were to guess, I would imagine yours would be a bit brighter.

Ooh... Purple tulips are symbols of royalty, right? [Her eyes are shining; please just talk to her about flowers all the time, this is the ideal. She's filing that tidbit of flower-favoritism away in the back of her mind for later, too.

But she doesn't have to think at all to answer his question.]

I like cherry blossoms! Pink is my favorite color, and they're really beautiful when you get to see them falling from the trees and getting scattered by the wind. And they're symbols of life that way. [She shifts her flower bundle in her arms, and adds:] And my best friend likes them a lot because they're a national symbol.

They are indeed, as well as admiration of accomplishments. I admit, for this flower, my own admiration is purely the aesthetic more than the meaning. Unfortunately, the two do not always cross in the language of flowers. Some have quite beautiful meanings, but are not very beautiful to look at.

[ Though her answer doesn't surprise him at all, and he even laughs lightly. ]

I've only known you for a few minutes, but I must admit, this is a fitting choice. It suits you very well.

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[ WEEK ONE – ARRIVAL ]

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