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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Yeah! Or maybe a different farm! Who knows?! We don't have much to lose if we go looking, even if we do get a little lost!

[........... he supposes on the off-chance that he gets horribly lost, it's better to have someone else around, rather than wander around alone.

ugh.]

Not much to lose beyond the possibility of finding ourselves in the middle of nowhere with no food or water or any way to get back, but sure, why not?

Oh, good idea! When we go to put these [shrugging her armful of flowers again] back, we should get some snacks from the big hotel, too, while we're there!

[that's not even kind of what was said just now but all right, yuna. okay]

[... You know what, it's not worth fighting, even though he's inwardly cringing at every mention of "we" because no, it's not like this makes them friends??]

You misconstrued what I said so badly that I don't even know where to begin, but yes, yes. Do as you please...

[She is definitely choosing to take this as full approval and beaming as she heads towards the hotel, expecting him to follow.]

Hey, can I ask your name? Mine's Yuna Yuki!

[Ugggggh. He kind of wants to just leave, but he gets the feeling that they're all going to be stuck here for a while, so he'll inevitably run into her again anyway??]

And what do you need to know my name for?

[it's too late she's decided they're friends he's doomed forever]

So I have something to call you. [And she says it with such bright sincerity instead of just stating the obvious.] If you have a nickname you like better, that's okay, too.

[not!! friends!!!!

He smiles, except it's completely at odds with what he says:]

Call me by a nickname and I'll kill you.

[... And with that out of the way—]

Arisu Shinnosuke. Just Shinnosuke will do.

[He... figures he can't really get out of telling her his name...]

[he's finally done it. he's put a damper on her perk and she starts, even losing a couple flowers from her stack in the process.]

D-don't say weird stuff like that...

[except she immediately follows it up with:]

What if I call you Shinnosuke-kun?

[yuna is going to die]

[Wow. He should make death threats more often?? In fact, he's so pleased at this success that he'll even be nice and bend down to pick up the fallen flowers.

Thankfully, that's, like, at the boundaries of what's acceptable, so Yuna gets to live... for now.]

Fine, although don't mistake that for us being buddy-buddy.

[aw how sweet!! and now we're back to square one and she's just beaming again.]

Sure thing, Shinnosuke-kun! [and she doesn't even sound a little deterred. it's too late they're buddy-buddy and he's doomed.

As they come up to the hotel, she shifts her flowers, trying to get to her key.] While I put these away, will you pick out some snacks for us? And I'll meet you back down here! [A pause, and then—] Make sure you pick some desserts!

[Shit, he regrets everything now—]

... We're not having a picnic, you know.

[!!!! THIS HADN'T OCCURRED TO HER BEFORE BUT NOW IT HAS AND HER EYES ARE SHINING]

But we could! A picnic's a great idea!

[FUCK]

.. Haha, wow, you're so much of an idiot that I don't even know what to say? In what way does having a picnic when we've all been kidnapped and left us with guns and possibly expected to murder each other seem like a great idea?

[This makes Yuna pause, too, startled but not so jumpy—for all that she's been excessively stupid from the start of this conversation, she is capable of taking things seriously. But she's smiling still, soft and warm.]

Because right now, we might be at a dead end. If there are any answers for us besides what that man wanted to tell us tomorrow, they must not be inside the town for us to find. If we don't find anything hiking towards the farm, that might mean we're really alone.

We all came in on that train together, and now it's only us here. We're all confused and worried, but that's why we should stay together. Panicking is only going to make things worse. But if we cooperate, and we keep each other as comfortable as we can, we'll be ready for whatever happens tomorrow.

[She shifts her arms like she's trying to make a gesture and remembering partway through that she's carrying all this goddamn flora.]

So that's why I think a picnic's a great idea!

[... Well, it's good to know that this girl can think some things through—even if Shinnosuke still thinks she's an idiot, because in his mind, idealist is synonymous with that.

And yeah, put down your flowers, Yuna.]

... I still think it's stupid. And that, frankly, we're all more likely to turn against each other than cooperate, so staying together is also stupid and there's no point in trying to form cozy relationships, but I guess we'll see soon enough which one of us is proven right.

This'll kill some time before everything goes to hell, at least.

[so whatever fine HE'LL GO ON THIS PICNIC although you should really just be getting away from this asshole, Yuna...]

[Her eyebrows knit together a little at that response—it isn't that she expected to be able to haul him right aboard the S.S. Optimism, but there's something distasteful about the idea of having to be proven right, like there's a contest to it.

Just as quickly, though, she's her usual cheerful self.]

Great! Then go pick out some snacks and I'll meet you back down here. Oh, I'll bring a blanket!

[TOO LATE THE ASSHOLE IS HER FRIEND r.i.p. both of them]

[YOU DESERVE SO MUCH BETTER THAN SHINNOSUKE'S COMPANY, YUNA...]

... We really don't need to go that far!

[UGGGGGGH even as he goes to fetch snacks.........]

[THEY ABSOLUTELY DO NEED TO GO THAT FAR and if Yuna hears his complaints on her way up the stairs, she doesn't address them. When she returns, flowers deposited, holding a sheet around her neck like it's a cape, she's skipping and humming something.]

Hey, hey! All ready?

[In the meantime, Shinnosuke's stuffed food in some flimsy bag he probably looted from somewhere.]

Yeah, I've got our supplies here.

[He is calling them that and refusing to call them snacks because he's going to pretend that this is at least a little professional, damn it.]

... You're really going to carry that all the way there?

Maybe carrying it isn't the best way to do it...

[So instead she goes whole hog and ties the sheet around her neck. Now it's really a cape. It's dragging at her heels; she's too short...]

There we go! What sort of snacks did you pick?

I hope you know how ridiculous you look.

[He glances down at his bags.]

As for supplies... trail mix, more trail mix [and not because he actually loves the stuff, it's just easy to find and carry], crackers, and marshmallows.

[Look, he even remembered to throw in desserts (as convinced as he is that Yuna doesn't need more sugar)...]

Oh, and water.

It's like a superhero cape! [She throws her arm out to her side so the "cape" billows a little.]

Ooh, good choices! [He remembered desserts!! She absolutely was going to go pick out more snacks if she thought his were unacceptably chosen.] How come you keep calling them supplies?

[Even as she's saying this, she's starting to march out the front door of the hotel, expecting him to follow.]

Sooo... ridiculous?

[Help him, he's stuck with an actual child.]

Because that's what they are. They're supplies to ensure that we don't go hungry on the trip.

[They're definitely not snacks!!! But yes, he's following with his not-snacks.]

So it's like we're on a mission! [Oh no, now she just sounds really excited about that... Good try, Shinnosuke.] Come on, I think the easiest way to get there is this way. [And she's skipping to go behind the hotel and start the hike away from the town.]

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