Event: A Prelude

[trainmasters]

Who: Everyone!
When: Day 8, evening
Where: around

[It's a beautiful evening in the jungle tonight. It's warmer than usual, and some new plants have appeared, black vines that climb up the trees near the Aurora, opening hundreds of tiny white flowers that glow in the darkness. They let of a sweet smell that's soothing like a chamomile tea, and are filled with a dew that, if consumed, leaves characters feeling relaxed and just a little more likely to act on positive impulses.

However, the vines of this plant aren't so harmless. When broken they drip a milky white substance which irritates the skin, leaving red welts that burn and last anywhere from an hour to a full day, depending on how long the substance is in contact. Eating this won't kill you but it'll give you really intense heartburn and nausea for a few hours.

Additionally, if you're walking around in the nearby jungle, you might trip over one of the small cracks that have appeared in the forest floor. Mostly they're not visible underneath the grass and underbrush, but the bigger ones have caused a slight unevenness in the ground that can catch careless toes. There doesn't seem to be any particular pattern or origin to the cracks, nor do they have any other affect on their surroundings. They're just there, suddenly, in a roughly 100-foot radius from the train.

But there's plenty of reason to ignore these natural phenomenon, because there are some new teammates waking up in your carriages! In response to this new wave of arrivals, existing players will hear a cute jingling ringtone come from their Chain. Upon checking, the screen displays... a silly animation of balloons and confetti and the words "WELCOME NEW HEROES", which goes away on its own after a few seconds or when characters tap it. The same display is shown on the big screen in the lounge, in which trays full of colourful drinks have mysteriously appeared. The drinks taste like Kool-Aid and change some part of you the corresponding colour -- pink hair, blue skin, purple eyes, or maybe just a literal green thumb!]

[[OOC NOTE: Newbies can review the arrival scenario on the navigation page if necessary. The drinks in the lounge come in any colour you want, and cause colour shift in whatever and however large an area you want. It could just be a strand of hair or it could be your entire body, whatever you feel like playing with.]]

Comments

[thereisnowhy]

[Doesn't seem like the Ginger kid is going to be the one to point this fact out.]

Does that mean Mister Unicorn is here to make friends? Sora is also supposed to be making friends!

[purrtagonist]

I’m here to do. . . something.

[still not completely up to speed on things beyond what he read on his fancy phone upon arrival, but hey. he rolls with it]

Making friends may be part of that “something.”

[thereisnowhy]

Is the something "bring joy back to the stars"? Is it "save the world with feelings"? That is the something Sora is supposed to be helping with, too.

[purrtagonist]

[jabs a finger at Sora]

That's it. I. . .

[a beat]

I think?

[NOTHING MAKES SENSE]

[thereisnowhy]

Then Mister Unicorn and Sora are both "heroes", probably! It is just like a game? Including the part where the heroes did not agree to any of this.

[purrtagonist]

[AHA HA. . .]

Oh, good. So it isn't just me.

[this isn't the first time he's been randomly brought to some strange place by an ethereal being so he can easily adapt, but. . . that doesn't mean he likes it. . .]

I'm not against "saving worlds" in theory, but--

[agencyyyyy]

[thereisnowhy]

[Nods.]

Sora is not against it either, because it seems the Prince? Is in a lot of trouble? ["A lot of trouble" may be an understatement for "please save the universe", but that part is still a little vague okok.] Sora will not ignore someone who is in trouble. But Sora is maybe not a very good choice for this... Sora is still an apprentice, so it would be better to ask Master and Senpai instead? But it is only Sora who is here.

[purrtagonist]

[. . . a small sigh, and Akira tugs against his hood, pulling it down over his shoulders so Sora can see is FLUFFY HAIR]

Who are "Master" and "Senpai?"

[thereisnowhy]

Master is Sora's master and Senpai is Sora's senpai! Together Sora and Master and Senpai are Switch, we are witches. Switch uses magic to make people happy... [Trails off and blinks at Akira's face for a second.] Oh, Mister Unicorn looks a little like Senpai...? But the "color" is all different, so they are different.

[purrtagonist]

[just. casually nodding along, even though he has no idea what any of this means]

I see.

[he doesn't see]

What color is Senpai?

[thereisnowhy]

Senpai's color is soft and beautiful and warm! It is also blue. Mister Unicorn's color is pretty, too... but it is a little different from different angles? [Leaning way over to the side, as if to illustrate his point.] Sora has never seen a color like Mister Unicorn's before...?

[purrtagonist]

[leans a bit to the other side, mirroring Sora's movements]

What, the pink?

[tugs at the sleeve of his onesie]

Or the black?

[and his bangs next]

Personally, I think I'm more of a red kind of guy.

[thereisnowhy]

Mm... it is different to Sora. But it is hard to explain so do not worry about it.

[Abruptly stands up straight again.]

Sora does not really know the details either, but apparently the "heroes" are supposed to just make friends and watch out for monsters for now? We will have other things to do but that is not now?

[purrtagonist]

["make friends to save the world" sure does sound awfully familiar, and Akira huffs a laugh to himself over a joke that only he will get]

Saying "we'll have other things to do" makes it sound like eventually we're going to get a cosmic to-do list from the Star Prince. Or. . . someone else.

[thereisnowhy]

Sora would appreciate a to-do list! It would be much easier to help if there was a quest screen like in a game. But instead it is just a lot of heroes who are unhappy and do not really understand what is happening either.

[purrtagonist]

[lapses into thoughtful silence for a moment, touching his chin with his hand]

It sounds like we need to form a hero union. Wouldn't you say?

[thereisnowhy]

[Just watches patiently until he's done thinking.]

Sora says: like a hero guild? That would be very helpful, too!

[purrtagonist]

[. . . nods! albeit slowly, like he's still trying to formulate a plan of some kind]

It sounds like everyone here is in the same boat. If we're all unhappy about it, then we should do something about it, instead of just doing as we're told.

[thereisnowhy]

...Hehe~ Mister Unicorn is very tough. Even though you are also new and confused, you are all ready to work on a "solution" with everyone? It is like you are a natural "hero". Or a natural "leader"? Something like that?

[Seems a little amused by this.]

Sora will join in and help "do something about it", too! If there is things Sora can do.

[purrtagonist]

[flaps a hand]

Nah. That isn't it. I just don't like the passive approach of "sit around and wait for things to happen."

[his hands dip into his pockets and he stands up a little straighter, shoulders thrown back]

Do you know if anyone here has even met the Star Prince?

[thereisnowhy]

Sora does not know. Sora did not ask many questions yet, because Mister Rufus was a very tired color...

[purrtagonist]

[tired. . . color. . .]

[he brushes that aside for now]

Then that's a good place for us to start. Asking around to see if we can get in contact with his Star Prince.

[game plan!!]

[thereisnowhy]

Okay! Sora thinks it should not be hard to find more heroes who have been here longer, since we are all living here in this train?

[purrtagonist]

[glances down at the train roof, tapping his toes against it thoughtfully]

Bigger on the inside. . .

[thereisnowhy]

It is a magic train! It is very cool~ And there are a lot of windows so it is easy to take shortcuts?

[The main upside to the size discrepancy, clearly.]