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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[ Hannibal glances over at Percy briefly at the somewhat snide comment, but he's able to let it go easily enough. He cants his head to the side lightly as if to quietly agree, because, well, he can't be insulted at the idea. He carries himself in such a way that it is fairly obvious. ]

That long? It hadn't occured to me that the stay may stretch on that long, but if so, I hardly disagree. It's not my forte, since I prefer my food fresher, but I do know how to preserve it if we do find that it's needed.

[ Though the idea of that isn't one that Hannibal particularly likes. He's not a fan of preserved food at all unless it's used purposefully in a dish for some reason. The idea of it being his entire diet is a bit souring. Though, technically speaking, he's personally not exactly hurting for what he would consider food here like others may. But if it comes to that, they'll learn. ]

A friend? I would be happy to cook for both of you, if that is what you're concerned about. I'm cooking for a friend of mine as well, so it's no trouble to add another.

At least somebody does. [Let's hope it doesn't come to that, Hannibal. Still, Percy can only nod along because it's still better than what he can do. He refuses to believe they'll really be stuck that long but at the same time he knows how to prepare himself just in case they do. The best way to do that is by getting to know people and your surroundings.

When Hannibal calls him out on the last piece though, Percy grins slightly.]

It's not really that, but the offer's appreciated. [There's no polite way to tell a stranger that when you're them it's very hard to trust people.] I'll run it by her. You came in on the train with someone else you know?

[That's important. That's the first time he's hearing something like this.]

Of course. It would be rude of me to speak of my cooking and to not offer.

[ He makes it sound casual, even wry, but there is an element of how he phrases it that's attuned to Percy's worry. It's not his specific worry, but it's natural for someone to be suspicious given their situation. He's seeking to soothe them. After all, his offer is purely innocent. For now. ]

I did, yes. A very good friend, so I would say that I'm lucky in that respect.

[ He nods to Mrs. O'Leary ]

Like yourself, he is a lover of dogs. I imagine it won't be long before you meet, if you haven't already.

[It definitely works. It's something in his head now, something he'll talk to Annabeth about and also it means keeping an eye on Hannibal and feeling him out a little more. The man seems polite enough and while everything is exhausting sometimes people being nice to him is enough to get him to waver a bit.

So, there's a non-verbal thanks in the form of a smile but he's still curious about this sudden mystery friend.]

A lot of people had dogs waiting for them from what I've heard. I wouldn't mind meeting him. [Because again, people who like dogs can't be that bad.] But you guys are the first ones I've heard of who knew each other prior to coming here. Were you together before the train, too?

Is that so? Yours is the first I've met other than Will's. Perhaps the sheriff is an animal lover.

[ There's a amusement in his tone that makes it clear that this is a joke, but he does find that genuinely funny, in a way. Will will certainly be happy. It's perhaps the best way for him to be social, since interacting with someone's dog means also interacting with the owner. That, or Will might steal the dog. He's known to do that, but Hannibal assumes he wouldn't be so bad as to take one so brazenly.

Hannibal sets the olive oil on the counter as he continues to look through things, and he'll just amass a small pile of cooking ingredients as they speak. ]

We were. Were the two of you?

Maybe. Somebody else I met this morning had one, too. [Constantine is a cute dog but Barnham has zero chill.] The sheriff could have at least asked before dognapping these guys though.

[Dognappers are clearly the worst. The amusement doesn't escape him and he finally openly grins. All right, we're at the joking around phase. That's acceptable. Percy should continue shopping around himself but he's busy watching the pile grow instead. He doesn't know what to do with about half the items, but it's nice somebody does.]

Will. [It seems out of context, but it's just for himself. He knows a Will, but that's a fleeting thought. He's committing the name to memory for whenever he meets this mysterious dog-loving Will.] We were...it was just us, but we were on our way to meet our friends somewhere else. [It's close enough to the truth that he can say so without fumbling over his words or tripping over his tone.] I don't even know what happened to them since yesterday.

As well as kidnapping the people. But I imagine the response in both cases would have been "no." Kidnappers don't tend to appreciate that response.

[ Which might be a bit of an odd thing to say, but Hannibal relays it so smoothly that it feels like a natural part of the conversation. His expression and his busy work of assembling a store of ingredients for himself (and for Will) doesn't falter in the slightest, at least. ]

It is the same for us, funnily enough. Whether that is coincidence or purpose, I couldn't easily guess. It doesn't seem to be the case for the other people I've met, however. [ He breathes out a small laugh ] A shame. We were just about to take a trip by sea, but somehow the train became the preferred method.

Edited 2017-01-15 05:49 (UTC)

Kidnappers aren't that great at listening either. [Sometimes you just gotta deal with weird shit like waking up in places without remembering how you got there. Why this has happened to him twice in eight months nobody knows. At least one person besides Percy and Annabeth is taking this whole thing in stride.]

A lot of people that were with their friends showed up here alone. I don't get why they would have brought us and you and Will together. It makes even less sense for us since we were in a place trains can't even reach. [And then, weirdly sincerely:] Sorry about your trip.

[Just because he's worried about the fate of the world doesn't mean he can ignore other people's nice and normal plans that were messed up.]

No, they do not tend to be. I suppose he fits in that regard, disappointing as it may be.

[ He glances to Percy with a clear, but small amount of genuine surprise at the sincerity, but it easily shifts again. His attention returns to his work, but there's a little more of a smile. ]

It's quite alright. It was an impulsive trip in the first place, so I can't be too bothered that the destination ended up being different than expected. It is not what I would have picked, that said. The sea would be far better.

[That earnest expression is still there. Percy might have a lot of issues and a lot of things that he's done but he's still a good kid whose concerned about all of them being here and putting their lives on pause. He's actually pretty pleased by that reaction.]

The sea's always a better option. [Says the completely unbiased child of the sea god, but nobody needs to know that.] Some of us were thinking about walking out of town to see where our boundaries are. How do we know we're not anywhere close to a body of water?

[He's. Being a little optimistic, forgive him.]

Ah, I can already tell you that we are.

[ Hannibal smelled it, actually. His sharp sense of smell had brought him traces of their town from the dust to the coal mine to the lake. He's yet to even see it, but from smell alone, he can tell enough about it to be able to make it seem like he's been there. ]

It's no sea, unfortunately. Though I would be quite amused if this dusty place were surrounded by the ocean. It is a lake, but I did not venture out into it to see if it was a boundary.

Wait really? [He suddenly looks very interested in that, possibly moreso than most things.] Any idea how far it might be? I'd like to see it.

[...but.] We're never going to know how far we can go until we look, that's all.

Not far. Just beyond the farm.

[ He does look to Percy with a slightly quizzical expression, since the interest surprises him slightly. He doesn't think the lake is anything particularly extraordinary, or he doesn't imagine it to be. ]

I do agree, though I also tend towards pessimism. If it were that easy, I would be surprised. But I will certainly not discourage exploration.

[He ignores that! He's good at ignoring things like that and instead meets the expression with another small smile. Nothing to see here.]

I never said it would be easy, just that we should check it out. [He nods down at his dog.] Mrs. O'Leary and I were going to go for a walk to see how far we could get before the sun sets. But if there's a lake that's probably our first stop.

Then I wish you the best of luck. Either way, the answer to that question would be quite useful to know.

[ He opens his mouth to say something, but then seems to remember something. Hannibal laughs, then shakes his head lightly before he turns to face Percy fully. ]

Forgive me— I've just realized, all of this, and I've yet to introduce myself. Hannibal Lecter. It's a pleasure.

Thanks. I hope I can find some good news to bring back. [But he definitely doubts it.

He tilts his chin up when Hannibal introduces himself and...there's zero recognition of the name. Well, no, that's not true, he recognizes the name Hannibal but it also belongs to a war elephant. Given the way he grins it's obvious he's thinking about said-elephant, but he can push that aside.]

Percy Jackson. Kind of wish there were better circumstances but nice to meet you, too. There's a lot of us but I'm trying to get to know everybody who's here.

[ He introduces himself casually for a reason, because even though he gives his name easily, he's looking at Percy for a reaction. There's no extra interest in Hannibal's attention that makes it notable, but he's waiting for recognition. And yet, it doesn't come.

Just barely, his smile twitches upward, but it's perfectly in time with Percy giving his name. ]

So indeed. If the numbers in our rooms are identical, then there are forty of us. Forty-one if you count the sheriff. It's no small number, and at least from the faces I've seen, I have difficulty imagining a commonality between us all. It's very odd.

Edited 2017-01-16 07:20 (UTC)

[And thus Percy remains oblivious for one day more. He actually looks happy since Hannibal answered a question he's had since they all arrived (and he didn't think to actually count the rooms, too anxious to get out and explore), and in a way that helps him think they're on the same side in all of this.]

I didn't even think to check that way, but that's still way too many people for this to be a huge coincidence. But I don't know about that. I think we can all agree that the sheriff's a jerk. That's something we have in common, isn't it? [That is to say he hasn't found a pattern either and he thinks it's weird. He and Annabeth are already looking into it but so far no dice.]

Rude, to say the very least.

[ Which sounds mild, but that's a grave insult in Hannibal's book as well as one that's lightly threatening to anyone that might receive it. He has a certain bias against rude people. But! He nods all the same. ]

So, that's true. I doubt anyone holds a very positive opinion of him, though if that's the point of connection, it might as well be random. But at least for now, it brings us together. It's just an especially odd community.

[He's nodding in agreement even if it's too mild of a word for Percy to want to use.]

I mean...where I'm from, a lot of my friends and I met because we had one thing in common and it was a pretty loose thing. That might be all it takes. [He pauses then, looking at Hannibal's pile of cooking materials instead.] Think we're ever going to find out what it is? The common factor.

What was that common thread, if you do not mind me asking?

[ His tone is curious, but politely so. It's clear from his tone that if Percy doesn't want to elaborate, Hannibal would accept that answer without complaint. But he is curious, if only because he tends to be interested in what people have to say. Though to the question that Percy asks, Hannibal responds without pause. ]

We may. Or we may not. I'd like to be optimistic and hope for the former, but it could very well be random. Randomness would be a very unsatisfying answer.

[The tone is everything. It's not an interrogation and Percy's a little wary of explaining the truth still, but at the same time they're in a completely different place. Maybe it's not so bad? Buuuut on the other hand, it's probably better not to burden the nice man with how completely insane everything is.]

We all come from some pretty complicated families. [There's a hint of a smile, like there's more to it but he won't be saying so.] I met most of my friends at summer camp and this wouldn't be the first time I don't understand why I ended up somewhere with a bunch of strangers. It didn't take long to figure it out last time. But I don't care, there's no way this is random.

[Everything has a reason. Everything has a reason whether it's a prophecy, a prediction, or someone's determination. He nods to himself, like he's confirming he believes what he says and he looks up to meet Hannibal's eye.] I'd like to be optimistic, too.

[ It's a suitable enough answer that Hannibal doesn't feel the need to press any further. The truth of that common linkage is a bit beyond Hannibal (to say the least), so he goes for a more grounded explanation. Complicated families is a common enough euphemism that he draws a conclusion about the kind of summer camp it may be. Most people might change their tone in response, but Hannibal is also. Himself. ]

I see. Then for more optimism, I'll hope that it's as easy as it was the last time you found yourself in a similar situation.

[ He has a collection of ingredients by now, so Hannibal also collects a small box so that he can carry everything more easily. ]

In any case, you and your friend are quite welcome at my table. Without even my practice to attend to, I can only assume that I'll be filling my newfound free time with simpler pleasures.

[There's something like relief in his features when Hannibal doesn't press him to elaborate. It's easier that way for everyone involved.]

I don't know, it could stand to be a little easier. [But he notices that Hannibal's wrapping things up, and even with the box he's wondering on something.]

And thanks again. I'll let her know when we meet up again later. Annabeth is...[Man, how to describe Annabeth.] I'm sure you'll meet her soon if we're all here. It'll be fine. Do you need some help carrying everything back? [Even if Hannibal has a box, he's decided he doesn't mind offering anyway.]

[ He looks surprised, but it turns into a pleased smile as he nods ]

If I would not be troubling you, I'd appreciate it. Though if that's the case, I may as well double up. [ just how much does he plan on cooking? a lot ]

But I imagine you're correct. Even if forty is a strange number, it's still relatively small. [ Actually, thinking on it a bit more, the number seems to dawn on him, and he laughs briefly. He gathers another box, but with a bit more purpose, he goes to gather more ingredients. It really is just doubling up, since Hannibal knows what he tends to use most often. ]

As many patients as I would see in a week, at least. Nearly exactly, depending.

[ WEEK ONE – ARRIVAL ]

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