[ 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

[bittybat]

Arrival

[Someone else isn't the only person to arrive strapped head-to-toe in the weirdest outfit ever put on a ten year old boy. (Except for maybe Dick and Jason's shorty shorts.)

He steps off the train with the face of someone who had just sucked long and hard on a ripe and radical lemon. What the hell? Please tell him this is a Hollywood set.] This is ridiculous...

[To the person closest to him:] What's the last thing you remember?

Saturday

[The strangely dressed child scopes out the room to which the key with his name belongs--hopefully without any prying eyes, but hey, it's fine if you spot him checking everything out.

Naturally, he also investigates the Sheriff's office--but the man is gone. Better for him. He starts trying to snoop into everything he's able: drawers, rooms, under rugs. Strangely... there seems to be a furry creature following him: a tuxedo cat, doing about as much getting into trouble as he is.

The cat meows at you if you enter, or perhaps catches you passing at the door. It meows at you there, too.]

Arrival

[dubiousalignment]

Being in mortal peril. It was because a stab to the chest, if you want me to be precise.

[The slash on his clothes should say it all. It wasn't a harmless wound at all]

I'm positive it was completely unrelated to that Sheriff and what's going on here.

[bittybat]

Irrelevant. [Damian doesn't seem to be getting any less grumpy looking.] How could you possibly be in mortal peril, yet be completely fine now?

[dubiousalignment]

I don't know. There are ways to save one's life in a pinch, but I can't think of any that applies to my case. I guess it's possible this is some sort of hallucination in my head right before my death.

[No, he isn't taking that theory seriously. At least Tarvek doesn't seem to be bothered by Damian's general grumpiness]

But as you said, what happened to me is irrelevant. It doesn't change that we're here right now.

[bittybat]

[Or ways to come back from the dead, but Damian isn't gonna say that.]

No, but gathering information is imperative. The "Sheriff" is suspicious.

[dubiousalignment]

"Suspicious" is an understatement.

[But he agrees gathering information is imperative]

I'd like to interrogate that guy. There are ways to make someone talk.

[He doesn't mean torture, as bad as that sounded. With the right words and appeals one can make anyone talk and he knows it]

[bittybat]

[Damian regards the other man with a slightly strange expression--as strange as possible with eyes obscured by a domino mask.] There are a lot of ways to make someone talk, but only few are the right way.

Arrival

[generously]

[ He'll answer the boy's question in a minute. More importantly: ]

Whoa! That's a fancy costume you got there. Are you from the circus?

[ Sadly, he's talking to the wrong Robin. ]

[bittybat]

[Felix, you can't just--]

No. [WRONG ROBIN. Damian's lips pull tight.] Are you from Ireland?

[generously]

I don't operate internationally, I'm afraid. Though I've been thinking about going to the Caribbeans someday... well, it doesn't matter.

Why you wanna know?

[bittybat]

[Flatly:] You ignorantly judge people based on their appearances, so I assumed you were from Ireland because your hair is red.

[generously]

Have I offended you? In that case accept my apologies.

[ ??? was he really being ignorant?? either way, no lessons learned. ]

Now that I think about it, you look a little too young to be a performer.

[bittybat]

[Will Felix continue to put his foot in his mouth: a trilogy.]

There's plenty of children who are performers in the circus. [Dick Grayson was the best boy!!] I hope your non-international profession isn't as a detective because your deduction skills could use work.

saturday

[flippity]

[ WELL SINCE THEY'RE ROOMIES

when damian goes to check out his room, he will find another girl doing exactly the same. she pauses when she spots him. ]

That's my room!

oh my god RIP

[bittybat]

[Oh......................a girl. (Kill him now.)

Damian pauses, frowns hard, then continues on without stopping, probably purposefully going faster.] It isn't just yours. [Not if he can get in the door first it isn't.]

they gonna be beautiful

[flippity]

Who are you? Let me open it.

[ she doesn't even have her key out or anything. actually, papika isn't even sure if she has her key on her? but either way she is going to march up to him. ]

[bittybat]

No. [He has his key, the one with his name he pilfered from the table, but he stops in enter to stick an arm out to block her from getting closer.] Stay back.

We don't know what's on-- [A forlorn meow wails on the other side of the door, muffled. Damian could recognize the noise anywhere, maybe even if he was deaf, too.] Pennyworth? [????????????

He drops his arm and puts the key in the door, but doesn't open it yet.] Get back. It could be a trap.

[flippity]

That was a a... kitty?

[ she does not step back, but she does lean closer to the door, waiting to see if the sound will happen again. ]

Just open it! I can handle a trap but can the cat?

[bittybat]

No, the cat might be a trap! [Oh my GOD. DON'T RUSH HIM!! This is all about planning!] I said to stay back! [NOT LEAN CLOSER. It could totally be, like, a bomb or something. He doesn't want the obliterated corpse of a GIRL on his hands!

So he pointedly holds the door shut until she at least leans back!]

Saturday

[alcobrawlic]

[ ... Sara sure is scrutinizing that cat as she steps in, because the one cat she's familiar with is just as vocal, except in an entirely different way.

More importantly, though, this kid-- ]

So, find anything fun, exciting, or incriminating?

[bittybat]

No. [Damian doesn't look up until after he's finished shuffling through drawers. There's... nothing there at all. It's worryingly empty.

Finally, he lifts his head. Pennyworth sits a foot or so from Sara's feet, and he gives Damian a wide, bored yawn.] The "Sheriff" is a fraud.

I don't think he's human.

[alcobrawlic]

Well, yeah... that weird voice of his kind of tipped me off.

Unfortunately, there's not a whole lot we can learn about him if even his office doesn't have anything.

[bittybat]

[Weird voice? How about WEIRD EVERYTHING?] Not until we confront him. [His eyes skim the room. Where the fuck did that guy go anyway?] He knows what's going on, but he's waiting to tell us. Suspicious.

Why let us get acquainted and settled rather than explaining from the beginning?

[Pennyworth glances from Damian up at Sara. He mews gently.]

[alcobrawlic]

Probably because whatever he's planning on telling us would stop us from getting acquainted and settled in the first place.

[ Just a guess, though-- and she'll kneel down to let the cat sniff her. ]

[bittybat]

[Damian doesn't like it. Not one bit.] Tt.

I'm not going to wait and find out from a "Sheriff" who is going to tell lies. [Pennyworth stretches his head out cautiously to give Sara a few good sniffs, but then his tail unfurls upright, and he rubs the side of his face on her hand.] I'm going back to see if the train is gone. If it came from somewhere, it can go back to that same place.

[PENNYWORTH, STOP FLIRTING! is what his face says.]