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 ![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico) robowest! |
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robowest2017-01-13 05:59 pm
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756? [ he sounds surprised by that number. That was almost 2000 years ago. But he also referenced RPGs - video games. Meaning he's from a more modern era. Perhaps in the future, they'd reset the calendar dates... meaning that it would, indeed, be very, very far in the future. Ash snorts derisively. ] Tch... None of us should have survived that long. This is ridiculous. All of it, ridiculous!
[ at least his annoyance seems to have shifted from Noctis for the moment. ]
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[though maybe it's for the better if he has no idea what's going on here. but everything being spoken about here is completely foreign to him, so noct's just.
well, kind of looking at ash with an arched brow.
they'll have to resolve this at least enough to sleep in peace, he'd really rather not die because he's rooming with a crazy dude.]
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The last recorded data input in my system prior to arriving here was marked 2528 AD. But I doubt that means anything to someone like you.
[ it's not that he wants to explain things, particularly - it's almost like he's explaining it to himself. ]
In other words, we're either at a point extremely far in the future, or this is some sort of spatial anomaly.
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...why did it have to be robots!?
that's definitely something that will leave him ill at ease, especially with them sharing a room. definitely not the best idea to get any further on ash's bad side until he gets more of what this is about, and.
you know, maybe ensure that he's not going to get killed in his sleep or something. umbra senses noct's unease, but really just eyes them both warily, still laying at the foot of noct's bed for the time being.
regardless, noctis listens to what ash is saying, and he generally understands it. in theory.]
Neither of those things sounds exactly easy to pull off.
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Perhaps. I'm sure it's difficult for a little human brain to imagine such things are even possible. But with the right resources, either is doable.
[ the first is something that was possible in modern times - cryogenically freezing someone, keeping them alive. the method would be even easier for preserving a being of data like himself. The second... not so much. But he doesn't believe that it's impossible. ]
It's undoing them that will be difficult.
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[at least it seems like they can agree on that much. robot or human, this is a pretty garbage situation with pretty garbage consequences.]
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You really have no idea what's going on.
[ it's more of a statement then a question. at first, he couldn't believe that - but he's interacted with more than a handful of humans now, and they're all behaving the same way. ]
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[even if ash has grasped some kind of concept of how they got here, it doesn't seem like he's completely informed on their situation either.
mostly because nobody is.]
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Of course I don't. Do you know where I was before I got here? I was dead. My data was frozen, and I was locked in an endless cold void, waiting to be deleted. It's only natural for me to assume that one of your kind got ahold of the files that were left behind and decided to copy them into this vessel. Humans are greedy, and they wouldn't be able to resist the power that I held.
[ he talks and talks, although he's aware that most of what he's saying won't mean anything to Noctis. At least he seems to be leaving the concept of kicking him out of the room for no reason behind. ]
But the rest of this situation doesn't add up. All of you are so... clueless.
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[not that it matters. it's true that most of what ash says kind of goes over his head, but the conversation is at least enough for him to sit up and converse like a real person instead of a lazy bum.]
We're all pretty stuck for answers. How we're here, why, how to get back. No need to go putting all the blame on us. Not like that sheriff guy was human either.
[it was pointed out to him that the sheriff wasn't, and after thinking back on it, he realized it was probably the truth, even if it was tougher for him to catch when he'd never seen a bot like that actually do anything but mindlessly attack.]
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That doesn't mean anything. Not all artificial intelligences are as intelligent as I am. Most of them are no more than slaves.
[ he clearly thinks the Sheriff is also on the enemy side, regardless of his non-human status. ]
However... For the moment, it seems you're correct. We're all displaced. How unpleasant.
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but that will go unsaid, because sometimes, noct knows how to pick his battles.]
No kidding. We humans aren't thrilled with it either. All we can do is try to see if we can find a way out of this mess.
[he really, really can't afford to waste time here.]
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It's a matter of time. That's all. [ he plans on leveling this entire place to the ground for the indignity they're putting him through... but he'll keep that to himself. ] Do you have a name?
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cool.
well, noct's none the wiser to it, so that makes it a whole lot easier to just brush off and keep the discussion simple.]
Noctis. [he cants his head to the side slightly before returning the question.] You?
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Noctis... "Of the night," in one of the humans' ancient languages. How quaint. [ probably something that only the saltiest old scholars would know, in his time period, but he's had the 'luxury' of infinite time at his disposal to research humanity. ] Well then, Noctis. I've changed my mind. You and your animal can stay here for the time being. It seems this problem is more complicated than I'd realized.
[ he'll just... not hang out here if he doesn't have to, instead. ]
I'm called Ash. If you want to survive this, I suggest that you... cooperate. There's something that I need.
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Thanks for the generosity.
[okay, so there's still an edge to his voice—a little bit of sarcasm, considering noct really never had any intent of leaving the room anyway.
but what follows definitely catches his curiosity enough to quirk a brow.]
Cooperate with what, exactly? [it's not an outright refusal, but he wants to know what ash is up to here.]
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[ as he's expecting a rebuttal to this comment, he continues. ]
And yes, I know this town doesn't appear to have that sort of technology. I'm not an idiot. However, the fact that I'm here is proof enough that they have it. That's not even mentioning that "sheriff."
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[hilariously enough, there's really no rebuttal for that one—he knows ash is right about that.]
Wouldn't be surprised if they're keeping it well-hidden, but there's enough that's not right about this place. Feels more like a movie set without the lights and cameras than a real town.
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I would go as far as saying that's likely. All of this has been very obviously set up for us. There are no signs of human habitation here. [ he shifts, letting his arms fall stiffly to his sides again. ] Find me a computer, and all your questions will be answered. No, more than that. I'll put an end to this stupid charade. Maybe I'll even reward you for your help.
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[he can't help the way the words kind of sarcastically roll off his tongue, but it's clear that he doesn't mean much by it.
he's still not entirely sure there's any good in helping ash, but he seems willing to go along with it for now; he'll worry about the consequences later if he sees it really spelling bad news for everyone.]
I'll keep an eye out. Kind of interested in seeing what else is being hidden from us, anyway.
[he'll motion towards the empty bed.] May as well get comfortable for now.
[though he's both not sure ash needs to.... or if he'd even be capable of it. he seems so stiff about everything.]
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Smart choice.
[ as for the bed... he raises an eyebrow. ]
Perhaps you misunderstood me. I'm a machine.
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[he's not an idiot, okay.]
That's what we humans say sometimes. You know, stay a while, all that. Doesn't matter what you are, if you're gonna be in here, may as well sit down for a bit.
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I don't see why. There's nothing here for me.
[ ... or so he says, but his eyes are quick to land on the pistol sitting on his bed. ]
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[noct should probably be a little wary that ash is looking at the pistol, but noct has one of his own, so he's just kind of...
"whatever." later's problem?
he'll flop back to lay down once again though, he's got no intention of not taking advantage of a place to sleep. especially when it's a warm bed and not a cold campground.]
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You're calmer than I would expect. [ he checks the ammunition as he speaks. ]
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