[ WEEK ONE – ARRIVAL ]

[sheriffexe]

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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Comments

[hydrokinetics]

Not a clue. The labyrinth I know can change paths and everything but it was man-made. [This is bad.] So...what do you make of that?

[insincerely]

... While there's been some human experimentation to deliberately trigger the Labyrinth Disease in subjects—which, I should add, I have nothing to do with, even as shitty of a person as I am—I'm pretty sure we're not thinking of the same thing.

The Labyrinth Disease is the worst disaster in history. You could live your life pretending it doesn't exist, sure, but there's no way you could've avoided hearing about it completely unless you were sheltered beyond belief. This is just too weird.

[hydrokinetics]

[Because that disclaimer isn't suspicious at all...but at least Percy has something else to worry about.]

I can assure you that we don't have anything like that where I'm from. We would have heard about it by now. I don't know how that's possible unless you're, like, from the future or something. [That apparently makes more sense than "other worlds".]

[insincerely]

[Excuse you, how dare you doubt his disclaimer.]

... So on top of the geographical mess we've got going on, we're adding the possibility of time travel? This just gets better and better.

Though if, against all odds, I am from your future, then sorry to say but the future sucks.

[hydrokinetics]

[#dealwithit]

Why not? The town itself looks like it was stuck in a time warp. [He makes a face.] Besides, who says the present doesn't already kind of suck? [Because things definitely suck for Percy and he just kind of accepts it by now hoping for the best.] If we are dealing with time travel then why this time period? I have a lot of questions for the Sheriff.

[insincerely]

Don't we all? Unfortunately, it looks like he's nowhere to be found, so we could very well be stuck waiting for Sunday morning.

[Shinnosuke even trashed his station and the guy didn't come out?? So rude.]

Unless you've miraculously found a lead, in which case do tell.

[hydrokinetics]

Not yet, but I'm not good at waiting around for stuff either. If we're really stuck here I'll keep looking around. There's no way he could have gone far. [Unless he was never here which is also possible. Gods, why.]

[insincerely]

[and thus begins the sheriff conspiracy theories]

Well, he did kind of disappear into nowhere. Maybe he's watching us all from hidden cameras right now.

[hydrokinetics]

If there's hidden cameras then how are they being powered? [Conspiracy theories are better than nothing.]

[insincerely]

Whoever's behind this managed to abduct all of us, possibly with time travel or teleportation or whatever involved, and you feel the need to question that?

[hydrokinetics]

Yeah. [...everything else could be explained as far as he's concerned.] That's the thing. This is too clean and without any kind of explanation. It's always one small problem that unravels the whole thing.

[insincerely]

Maybe, but as someone from the potential future I can tell you that you need higher standards for what counts as fancy tech.

[hydrokinetics]

It's not about standards. [Rude?] You don't need high standards, that's what people are expecting. Aren't we all kind of in agreement this place is weird because it's so outdated?

[...also tech is still something they try to stay away from unless there's an emergency, so sue him.]

[insincerely]

Yeah, but it could just be aesthetics, which means any kind of technology is fair game, isn't it?

[hydrokinetics]

Okay then how do you think this place is rigged? [He's going to stick on that point because it's better than his other ideas.]

[insincerely]

[He shrugs. *~*Helpful~*~*.

... Okay, he'll say something, at least.]

Well, it wouldn't surprise me if there are surveillance devices around here, watching or listening to our every move. 1986 isn't the first thing that comes to mind when I think Wild West, but it seems appropriately creepy for our situation, doesn't it?

Honestly, when it comes to something like how are they powered, the answer could very well be 《Magic》. [A pause, before he remembers that Percy's a loser who doesn't know what should be common knowledge:] Ah, I'm not even being facetious in that case. That's what we call technology found in labyrinths. I couldn't tell you much, since I'm not an engineer, but hidden cameras powered by who-knows-what sound entirely plausible based on that realm.

[He smiles.]

... If we really are dealing with that sort of enemy, though, don't ask me why they'd go for this outdated aesthetic. I'd please ask that you not assume I'm as crazy as whoever's behind this and can understand what's going through their head.

[hydrokinetics]

[Look he never read the book but even he gets that reference so okay, point. Both eyebrows lift at the word "magic" before Shinnosuke continues and Percy realizes they're thinking of two different things here.]

You call your technology magic. Okay. [That seems fair.] I wouldn't put it past whoever was behind this place. If they had someone, like, say, the best engineer in history designing their stuff it could be invisible for all we know.

[But he rolls his eyes, a defeated little smirk in response.] I'll do my best not to make that assumption, dude. [Mostly just joking.] We have two days to figure out things on our own. So what's next?

[insincerely]

Well, I could be wrong. I wouldn't be surprised if they planted a human spy, either.

[Also Shinnosuke is paranoid and trusts no one ever, so.]

Exploring the place is on the list, obviously. Even if it doesn't turn up any clues, screwing up just because you don't know the layout is a horribly amateurish mistake. I'm also curious as to how far our little prison actually extends.

[hydrokinetics]

[He doesn't verbally reply but there's a noise of agreement. The worst part is that human spies are always the people you least suspect.]

You think our boundaries are further out than we think? If we're here for at least two days that gives us enough time to walk it.

[insincerely]

I don't see a giant wall around the town or anything, so that's not keeping us here. I imagine there's some kind of barrier or obstacle or something to prevent us from just walking out, though—it'd be pretty stupid to kidnap us and then do nothing to keep us in place. And, in particular, keep us all within close physical proximity, since it seems we're expected to interact.

So mostly, I figure we might as well confirm all that at some point.

[hydrokinetics]

Doesn't sound like a bad idea. [All of that makes sense and he's aware of magical barriers but. He's not going to say that either.] Wanna take the east and I'll go west? We can scout and see how far we can walk out of here before we hit a barrier.

[insincerely]

Works for me. [...] Though it might be best to put that off until tomorrow. Like that guy said, sun's about to set and depending on just how far we get, it'd suck to be in the middle of nowhere—more than we already are—when night falls.

Unless we can find some kind of portable light source around here, anyway.

[hydrokinetics]

[Traveling at night isn't necessarily out of the cards for him, but just one thing.]

Do you know how to fight off coyotes?

[insincerely]

Do I know how to fight off things, or just coyotes in particular?

[hydrokinetics]

Let's go with both. [Just because he's interested.]