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{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2017/08/22
|Location=Lumiere
|Synopsis=The underworld train reclaimed previously has been cleaned up and made usable. Time to see where it leads.
|Cast of Characters=974, 964, 954, 70, 513, 6
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:974|Carna (974)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Thanks to the efforts of a handful of Elites, a hell train of constant torment was shut down, the malfunction that led to its status as a bullet train of fire and screams has been corrected, and now the vehicle is ready for use and (probably) safe. It sits at the platform in Umberdark Tunnels. The Shrine of Light on the platform casts its pale illumination in a tight circle around itself, but casting enough of a glow to make out the general surroundings by. And that is how, upon materializing from the glow of the Shrine, the intrepid explorers see how Lumiere has changed since their last visitation.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But first, they are broken down into a spiritual form and then hurtled across the thousands of miles between the Church of Bleak Mercy and the subway entrance essentially instantly, phasing through buildings and everything else in their path like ghosts witnessing a time-lapse video from a first-person perspective set on hyper-fast-forward. Actually perceiving what transpires during the transit via Shrine of Light is new.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Before it was over immediately, and was more like space folding than moving at high speed. Space would contract towards them until they reached their destination. Now it appears that it is they who are moving through the world, instead of the world moving around them. It is a small, but noticeable, change. And it is not the only one.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The grimy, dusty, worn, ancient subway tunnels, the expansive concrete platform, the pillars near to crumbling as they strain to hold up a roof with a potentially infinite city built atop them... They don't look quite so bad anymore. It all looks a bit cleaner. More modern, or at least 'newer'. Perhaps it is as simple as someone having come through and cleaning up the place. Civilian Lanterns, maybe, trying to make Barroville more 'livable' (so to speak) as has been done in the construction of Tacet Sanctos.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There even seems to be faint signs of ornamentation, previously unseen with the coating of countless epochs of filth. Perhaps crescent moons? There is definitely a sort of lunar feel to the scattered emblems and designs.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Even the train that waits for them seems sleek, silver, and in better condition than it was left in. Though it appears to be slightly less 'modern technology' upon closer look. Perhaps more alchemical or steam-punkish. The tubes and woven metal filligree speaks of an archaic design sensibility, at least. Either way, all these changes are slightly different. Not especially noticeable. The ambient light level seems a bit higher than is common of Lumiere as well, but reallt, it's all very minor. And noticeable.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Crow seems pleased with the changes, the Shadow able to move more freely from place to place without relying upon someone else's body to serve as a 'jumping point'. "Hey! Alright! This is cool!" the Shadow enthuses as it slides up the pillars to examine the crescent moon design.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Enark seems more perplexed by the minute changes, stroking his chin in thought. "This seems familiar. More so than when I came here before. But I'm not certain I've actually been to this particular place."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Carna seems suspicious of it being cleaner, and draws her crossbow. "Perhaps we have once again arrived at a different place than we intended to. This would make the fourth time that has happened to me in these tunnels."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:964|Kushiko (964)}} has posed:'''<br>This was kind of unsettling, actually. Granted, there's a cornucopia of 'weird' that Kushiko herself has experienced, being the odd little Void child that she is, but actually able to properly perceive by way of it being slowed down is another matter altogether. Feeling the Warframe break down, reconvert and the like instead of the usual instantaneous thing is transferred right up the somatic link, though it doesn't 'echo' like it might for others who'd operate surrogate bodies. <br><br>When she arrives, she arrives as Valkyr, the feline-like digitgrade clawed feet landing first, standing upright as her companion sentinel hovers back into position. A slight tailflick, and the faceless Warframe seems keen on looking about--even capturing some visuals with a scanner for documentation later--before at least fixing her attention at the train. <br><br>&lt;"What about a different time frame? Could time pass by quicker in some parts than others?"&gt; she wonders aloud. She's not utilizing a shotgun as is her typical wont, instead wielding what looks to be some kind of staff or spear, curved surfaces and a few etchings giving it an industrial feel typical of the Grineer. To a sharper eye they might see the aspect of a spear, but maybe even some kind of long gun? Hard to say for sure. <br> <br>

:'''{{#var:954|Count Kord (954)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"It may be more appropriate to say that you have been to multiple versions of the same place. If all tunnels died, then all tunnels may overlap in the same place, as this appears to do so. Maybe this is another time, and the same place. Humanity is good at building over what has been destroyed in the past, you see it in the dead city above."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kord speaks up after the harrowing experience of teleportation, not breaking eye contact from the Shrine of Light after their journey through it. His gaze is fixated unblinkingly as if its differing behavior during the journey startled him more than he is letting on. Despite this, he makes small emotive hand gestures as he speaks, a habit formed from years of wearing helmets or masks and getting the criticism that no one could read his emotional state.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Do we ride this frightening vehicle now?" he wonders, turning his gaze away and fixating it on the train.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:70|Priscilla (70)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Even if the localized changes are extremely subtle, Priscilla can't possibly fail to notice the changes to the warping checkpoint system that seemed to have happened between now and when she had last showed up. Some people might take that as a comforting sign of forward progress, feeling their spirits elevated by that little flicker of accomplishment. Priscilla mostly just feels suspicious. Her long life has taught her that the reward is often only coming back, and that the next place will only be darker for the experience. Besides, it's hard not to be on-edge about a place where the stairs have tried to eat you.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Never forget.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I see thou hast been . . . busy." she says upon arrival, immediately looking to the non-hellscreaming train, now empty of eternally combusting souls. "If I may ask, by whose design was this repair? I had not imagine it to returneth to such functionality; perhaps only cease to be an immediate, extreme danger."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''<br>Finna has been busy. Far, far from Lumiere, and taking a literally undefinable amount of time questing for guidance. But now she is back...<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And she is much, much quieter.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hearing that plenty of shenanigans transpired in Lumiere, she's been roaming around. Sneaking. Listening to rumors, asking questions in various forms...<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And now, a barn owl silently soars behind the group - above when possible - perching where it can, sneaking around corners where it can... and all things considered, not existing in the minds of anyone who does manage to look its way. Eyes simply slide off it rather than acknowledge the creature's presence. Even the dead seem to pay it no mind, despite the presence of living blood and Lunar energies that should attract them.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Finna is stalking the heroes of Lumiere.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:6|Tomoe (6)}} has posed:'''<br>The Hell Train has been stopped, she wonders about the victims if any might recover or at least know some peace? She doesn't know but the train is shut down hard. She knows the rot goes deep in this world and honestly it was bizarrely better to deal with for her right now. Her own personal failing in Creation weighed heavily on her. Well failure as she saw it personally, at the very least but here she was again she was less chipper seeming than normal as she formed up with everyone else.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:974|Carna (974)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Carna acknowledges Kord's suggestion. "That is, like many things, possible. Without further investigation, it may be difficult to discern whether that is the case." She looks to the train with even greater suspicion, though that deepens after hearing Enark's assessment.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I was not present when the train's antics were put to an end. Though I believe Mister Kord, Crow, and Miss Tomoe were... At least based off of the report filed. Unless one of those three, or Mister Dorian Pavus who was also present, effected repairs, then I would suppose it was someone else. Or, as has been suggested, we are in a different version of the same tunnel. Or perhaps there is some other causation." Enarks looks to Carna and then asks, "Is the train Unlit? As a Lantern, you seem to be more sensitive to such things."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Crow speaks up as it breaks up into several different shadowy ropes and winds itself around the support column like a barber striped pole with only two very boring colors, before eventually spreading across the floor and rising up a bit to examine the train. "Naw, man. Naw, doggos. It was, like, charcoal! It was missing a door from where Mister Kord cut it off, and it had shadow and ice spikes shoved into it from Mister Dorian and Mister Kord. It was all burnt black and smelled like a bunch of dead people had been burning in there for a long time." Crow pauses and then looks to Tomoe. "I think, anyway. I don't have a nose. Hey, Tomoe! You were onboard hauling bodies out of the fire, did it smell bad do you think? Anyway, now it's all shiny and clean and silver like... Like..." It raises its shadow nubbins and changes them into full, pointy-fingered hands as it uses them to gesticulate in a psuedo-mimicry of Kord's own gesturing.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"...Like a giant silver hotdog. Yeah! Anyway, it didn't look like this before and I have no idea who fixed it but I like the pipe thingies I guess? Maybe that's where the induction coils for the stygian runes along the tracks are located, so it can draw energy directly from the Underworld pylons underneath us.." -\_(``/)_/-<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Carna strides forward and tests whether the train is Unlit through a very straightforward process. She shoots her crossbow into it from several feet away to see if it bleeds or anything.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Enark is in the middle of pausing and asking, "Wait, what was that last part--" when Carna fires a bolt into the train, making him turn around in a panic. "Wh--What are you shooting at!? That is our transportation! When I asked you to check for--Nevermind. Just... Nevermind." He rubs his forehead, then focuses back on Kord and Kushiko. "I do not relish the idea of wandering these tunnels in the dark and hoping not to run into anything. Who knows where they go -- or when, if that theory is to be believed. At least right now, THAT vehicle is intact and seemingly functional, a single bolt-sized hole in the side of it not withstanding. Let us just hope this seemingly innocent train ride does not send us through some nightmarish tunnel full of disturbing imagery disjointedly placed between two otherwise nice places for no apparent reason."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Crow peeks out from inside the train and calls, "Hey, I saw that movie too!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:70|Priscilla (70)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;So, none of the above. That answer raises Priscilla's suspicion meter from about a four to a seven. "Antics. That is quite the word to describe this thing's . . . previous condition." Priscilla says, prodding it with the end of her scythe to test for mimics. Yes. Literally. "I am also not surprised to hear of its internal condition. I somehow doubteth the Lanterns of the urban area so capable of, or well-disposed towards, restoring it. As much as I am encouraged to believeth it something to do with the death of the Marble Guardian governing this strata, I am more inclined to spare the effort and decide it simply a nature of the convolution of time involved last we were here." The laziest lore explanation is decided on.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I see Sir Crow hast been doing his reading, as before. Good." Priscilla then says, getting the gist of the idea as she steps aboard. Crow may be kind of a derp, but nothing he, himself, has done so far has lead to horrific and grave consequences to himself. Unlike Enark and Carna, following in Crow's metaphorical footsteps seems to never quite step on any land mines that exist in the same metaphor. "Pray, then, dost thou knoweth how to operate it?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:954|Count Kord (954)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kord startles just slightly from the shot into the train, his head turning in a snap to the sound and then swiveling smoothly to look at Carna. And then he laughs, because it was such a ridiculous response to that question, and because Enark decided to scold Carna for the odd behavior. He laughs to himself (more a deep chuckling) even as he steps forward to board the train. He'll open the doors himself if he has to. He lets his tail unfurl and he grabs his weapon from its holster to unfold that as well, and finds a place to stand in the train where he can reach the doors or leap through a window on short notice if being inside becomes a problem.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"That archive is very thorough..." he observes, since he knows that Crow and Enark hang out in the big ole library, "Or you've been making trips outside of this realm." He looks out one of the windows in silent musing, trying to imagine Crow trying to interact with people in a modern and living context. "Hnn." It's an amusing mental image.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If he's noticed Finna, he hasn't shown any indication of such. He isn't really built to track god-blessed beings and there are other concerns to distract him right now.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:964|Kushiko (964)}} has posed:'''<br>Given what Priscilla--and to another extent, Count Kord and Enark--have to say, she's quietly referencing reports. And having Ordis read back some of them, at least privately to bring herself somewhat up to date with the essentials off of that, if brief. <br><br>Then he makes an audibly exapserated sound as Crow interrupts the flow of attention Kushiko was paying to him. "Well if you want to go by /that/ explanation, *fine*," the synthetic growls out from one of the speakers that transmits on the Warframe. Totally not petulant by it, nope. <br><br>"Well, doesn't this sound wonderful," Kushiko deadpans, her voice taking on that usual odd quality, voice not from the suit directly, but the energy wrapped around her invisible to most. "We do not trust it, we think, nor does many here. I could at least affix myself to the surface myself, but I do not know if the tunnel will be good for it, and we'd rather not get knocked off by an immovable object," she muses, walking over to check the hole left behind by Carna. <br><br>Ordis chimes in, "That was a very specific reference that should pretty well put all of us at peace with the HORRIFYING NOTIONS right?" From polite to aggressive to polite all in one sentence.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''<br>Finna is not liking this whole 'board a vehicle' thing. The little owl is not sure she'll be able to slip through the door without being noticed... but she nevertheless dives down at great speed once her gut tells her is the best time - when nobody's looking, hopefully. She not only swoops through the door into the train, but silently clings to the ceiling and hopes for the best.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's STILL hard to acknowledge that there is either an owl inside the vehicle, or that this is at all worth caring about. The brain goes a bit fuzzy and slides to other matters.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:6|Tomoe (6)}} has posed:'''<br>She looks to CArna for a moment. 5R<br> "I was there yes. I mostly got myself roasted pulling souls out of that nightmare." <br><br> It had been worth it to her, honestly but wih that aside she's just chilling out s they get ready for their next effort here. <br><br> "Yes I was, yes ... it was horrible I tried to not think about it and I have changed since the last time I was here." <br><br> She's not saying for the moment just what for now. <br><br> The train starts up or so it seems she looks at Crow. <br><br> "So the soul train's pulling out of the station." <br><br> She'll get on this time and hope none of the party ends up as fuel for this thing.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:974|Carna (974)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;With no response to being either shot or poked, if the train is a mimic then it's one with far more patience than a normal one. And a mimic with THAT much patience is really just too awful to think about, so better to remain on guard than to try to second-guess oneself. Carna likewise climbs aboard with caution in her step, positioning herself just inside. The doors slide open for Kord with a hydraulic hiss, making it unnecessary to scythe them off their hinges a second time.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Carna turns her head slowly to look at Kushiko's frame, her eyes very intent for some reason. Perhaps she is responding to the more aggressive and assertive behavior from the frame driver compared to when they first met. Maybe she just orients on growling noises automatically. She does not react to the owl though. It seems that, for the moment, stealth remains intact.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The controls for the train are simultaneously simple and extremely non-intuitive. This is because it doesn't appear as though there are any. The operator's booth is just an empty room with windows on three sides and some kind of waist-height pillar with no identifiable markings, protrusions or anything else. Enark enters the operator's booth to try to see what he can do with it, but after making arcane gestures and mystical sounding noises at it, as well as trying to poke it, prod it, cajole it, and empty a bottle of water on it and then order it to move in the name of Tharmas, nothing happens.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Crow then sidles in while everyone is getting comfortable. "Hey, man. Hey. Have you tried hitting it? I heard some things work better if you hit them."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Enark rolls his eyes and sighs. "No, Crow, there is nothing that works better if you hit it."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The doors of the train slide shut after a period of time of no one trying to go through them, though moving towards them again makes them open again, so they aren't locked in or anything. Though they probably will remain closed while in motion if there is anything approaching a safety mechanism in place. Which is good because Crow seeks to disprove Enark.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"No, it's cool, just hit it a little, and you'll see."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I am NOT going to 'hit it a little'!"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Hit it a lot then, man. I'm not going to judge you."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"What does--Why would you be judging--Look, I am not hitting anything!" Enark sounds very exasperated at this point.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Jeez, okay, then don't! We'll just sit here until you figure it out, Mister Smarty Pants." The Shadow then slips out to join everyone else.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Enark takes a deep breath and leans on top of the column with his hand.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The train suddenly takes off at extremely high speed, shooting away from the station and tearing through other tunnels. Though the acceleration is dampened somewhat through underworld physics or magic or something, there is still a lot of jostling, the speed can be felt quite physically, and the visuals along the way make it clear how fast they're going as they pass platform after platform. Some lit, some not, some crowded with Unlit that can not react in time to the train passing by, others seemingly empty. They even pass by what looks like an adventuring party of Lanterns with torches burning with deathly pale-blue flames who turn in surprise right before they are passed by.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;These sights blur together more and more as they speed up and speed up. The whole time, the repeated keening of some terrible screaming creature rings throughout the train, warring with the sounds of the machine itself, and--Oh, that's Enark panicking. He has both hands gripped tightly around the control column and it seems to only be making them go faster.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:70|Priscilla (70)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Priscilla sways on her feet as the train kicks off like a bullet, very clearly demonstrating the theorists right as her tail flicks in clearly counter-balancing motions before she manages to coerce her body into a proper enough lean to stand up straight. There don't seem to be much in the way of conveniently modern hand straps. Plus, they'd probably try to strangle whoever touched them.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hearing Enark shrieking and wailing in terror, though, Priscilla won't be able to wait in the car for long, both out of concern for the scholar, and out of some measure of sheer annoyance. Doing her best to ignore the rumbling and bumping over the still-very rough track, she makes her way to the driver's compartment, and slowly but firmly pulls his hands away from the control pillar.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Sir Enark, please hath some destination in mind before accelerating to such an absurd extent." Granted, she also wants to see if the train keeps coasting at its current speed once he stops touching it. "Count Kord, art thou able to plot our course in any way?" she shouts backwards.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''<br>WHOOOOOOOOOOOSHHH!!! They're off! The ceiling owl watches the exchanges between Enark and Crow with what could be sadistic glee, if it was capable of expression at all. Thankfully, it is not.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Though it does BEAKDROP as the acceleration turns the hanging owl into a SWINGING CEILING ORNAMENT, nearly pressing it against the ceiling as it bends MORE AND MORE.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Finna BRACES HERSELF in both body and spirit... and as things get faster, and faster... for a bit, she seems to be maintaining both the illusion and her silence.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But the acceleration doesn't STOP.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;That's when the horrible shrieking noise starts. The awful sound of METAL being literally carved apart. Because the sheer acceleration is pushing Finna back to the point she had to DIG IN mystically glowing silver talons, leaving a faintly luminous trail of GOUGES as she's pushed further and further towards the rear.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Only THEN does the creature SCREEEEECH in protest and flail-flap its wings in an angry protesting fury!<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This is definitely enough disruption to break her illusionary stealth.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:954|Count Kord (954)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kord watches in amusement as the talking shadow and the ghostly scholar argue about the control scheme of the vehicle they've boarded. He doesn't seem terribly worried about it, and the lack of violent response from the train does not ruin his vigilant stance. This means that when the train suddenly launches forward like a bat out of hell, he reacts by nearly pitching forward, and then quickly snapping forward and grabbing a handhold.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kord shoots Priscilla quite a look when he's volunteered to take charge of a very arcane device. The god-blooded man quickly advances on the front of the vehicle, and SLAMS the blade of his scythe into a wall without anything apparently important in it, burying it into the metal with an impressive metallic noise. Then he reaches to pry Enark off the control spire, and once he does this, if he can manage it, he pushes Enark not-so-gently up against the nearby wall by the face, barking, "Stop with that damned noise!"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And Kord slaps his other hand onto the control spire with only a single thought in his mind.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(Please stop before we crash at full speed into the end of this tunnel!!!)<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kord has some wide-eyed panic going on, too, because this is terrifying, but he manifests that more with anger then with screeching hysterics, clearly.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:964|Kushiko (964)}} has posed:'''<br>A patient mimic. Yeah, that's not a happy thought. Still, with the notion of mounting the train obviously dismissed, she boards it, though not without taking a brief look around to assuage her concerns--however minimal one can do by surveying the area can. <br><br>Initially, Kushiko doesn't register why Carna was staring at her so intently. They've been somewhat at cross beliefs but she didn't pay it any heed. However, after a moment where it seems like Valkyr cants her head in thought, her faceless visage turns to Carna. &lt;"That was Ordis."&gt; At that, a projection of light emits from an outstretched hand. &lt;"He monitors me as well as the Lotus does."&gt; <br><br>The absurd owl is given little consideration until you know, it may or may not keep following them or become hostile. <br><br>Ordis naturally adds, <span class="bold_fg_n bg_n ++ h">&lt;</span>"Oh there's some things that work /really well/ when *smashed into a million--*--given a modest bit of percusive maintenance."<span class="bold_fg_n bg_n ++ h">&gt;</span> Kushiko makes a slight, exasperated sound as she leans near the door of the train itself, at least before she steadies herself amidst both the comedy and the high speed train antics that ensue. And thusly does she actually kind of and steady herself and looks /about/ and maybe plotting a way to slow down--or at least get off this crazy train. <br><br>That's about when the owl start screeching in that maddened fury--which, while sympathetic? Kind of tips her off instinctively that something here doesn't belong. And in that same instinct, the spear-looking weapon is given to one hand while she almost instantaneously reaches for and plucks three tri-bladed stars, hurling them in an array into /that/ direction. Well, given the weirdness of the illusion that Finna's running, it's not going to be super accurate. But close enough to be threatening as she brings the Javlok she's wielding about and steadies herself. <br><br>&lt;"Company?"&gt; she wonders aloud loudly enough for the others to hear.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:6|Tomoe (6)}} has posed:'''<br>Tomoe is looking at the Train now, she's on edge for the mmen but slowly relaxes as it doesn't try to devour them. she seemsto be chilling out for hte most part leaving those who better understan magic, or things like this. She's a sword arm and if it's not computers? She's going to get in th way not that it bothers her. She's on the team to do certain jobs, and that's that. She waits as the train takes up and move to grab something to hand on to. The sighs blurr the faster they go and she starts to lose track of them all. <br><br> "Tell me we have a way to stop this without turning us into smears! Some of us don't get back up if we go splat!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:974|Carna (974)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Carna hunkers down when the train leaps into motion, staying low to reduce the effects of movement upon her. She begins reflexively searching for a source of danger to attack, or failing that, a way to escape. Seeing no viable targets for either, she just stays put for once and doesn't stop anything. Though as Enark continues shrieking and holding onto the controls, a shift in perspective begins to percolate through Carna's mind and she slowly raises the hand with the crossbow to point towards Enark's back. He's the cause of the danger, right?<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But then Priscilla moves into the booth and starts prying Enark's hands off the controls, moving in the way of the Lantern's shot, and she hesitates momentarily. Then Kord moves in as well. She abandons the idea of shooting the Blue Scholar survivor for the moment.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;For Enark's part, once his hands are peeled off the controls, the train comes to an almost immediate stop, with a disconcerting lack of being thrown around the train as it coasts to a halt at the nearest platform in about two seconds.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And that's when everything happens at once.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A shrieking owl that has appeared from nowhere is attacked with shuriken or something, causing Carna to swing her crossbow around to aim in the direction of the sudden noises.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The platform they have just stopped at apparently contains a near-solid wall of Unlit in ragged, decayed garments, or simply emaciated flesh, many of them dripping with some kind of oil-like substance. They launch themselves at the train and start pounding on the walls and doors, one holding back and languidly hurling a spear made out of a pair of femurs through one of the side windows. Carna switches to the new targets.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But as Kord was already putting his hands on the controls the moment Enark was peeled off of them, the quick sequence of events between stopping and then starting again probably occurs to rapidly to parse that they are actually stopped, before they are suddenly in motion again, leaving the undead horde behind. It seems that the tighter one holds the column, the faster the train goes, and that it stops automatically when released.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:974|Carna (974)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Carna's crossbow finds itself once more pointed into the operator's booth, now at Kord, as Enark is guided back out into the passenger compartment shakily only to try to grab onto one of the woven-metal seats as they start moving again. He too seems to have trouble deciding what to react to first. When Carna points her weapon at him again, he puts his hands up, looking around wildly in confusion, but the Lantern has already moved on to aim at the owl once more.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Based on what they saw the first time they were here, when Kord was unfortunately not present, it seems the tunnels might actually go in a circle, since the same flaming hell train passed observers by twice. But that might have been temporal shenanigans. Either way, they don't have to find out as a ghostly glyph of some kind superimposes itself within the left-hand window within the operator's booth, along with a subtle pair of musical chimes. Are they coming up on something?<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It seems so, because unlike the other sights that passed them by so quickly, the huge expanse of open space to the left as the tunnel wall opens up lingers, though occasional columns and walls interrupt the view. If Kord lets go, the train slows and changes tracks automatically, making it ways towards a docking station of some kind. Otherwise, it continues along the outer edge of whatever this is they've come across.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;From here, it looks like some kind of gigantic office building lobby after being subjected to several earthquakes and possibly a bomb. It's hard to make out details from here with how fast they're passing it by, and how big it is, but the impression is of something manufactured, crafted, and then ruined unexpectedly.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Enark is momentarily distracted by the sight, but then looks to the owl and the shuriken throwing, and stutters out in utter perplexity, "Wh-what? Who...!?"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Crow, who has been remaining safe and sound on the wall pipes up with, "Ha-HAAAA! 'Who'! Because it's an owl! Haaaa... Classic. Hey, is this our stop?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''<br>SHURIKEN are flung at her! Finna reacts with the same ludicrous speed that Kushiko displays, honed ninja-like reflexes taking over. With another screech the owl regains its balance and strikes out with beak and talon, snagging all three blades right out of the air! ...<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;and promptly topples from its perch, from having nothing left to ceiling-cling with! Down it goes, flopping awkwardly along the bottom as the train slooooooowssss...<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;... and the creature rises again in a weird, martial-arts-esque posture no owl could POSSIBLY manage... except maybe in a cartoon. STANDING ON ONE WING and giving the Warframe a weird glare that somehow just screams 'WANNA FIGHT?! YOU WANNA FIGHT?!' One shuriken in its beak, one clutched in each talon.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;... but if the train starts moving again, she'll probably fall over.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:954|Count Kord (954)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kord doesn't let go of the controls, because he is staring at the windows that have great big smears of gross oily gunk on them from the undead things they only got a glimpse of. A WALL of undead things. He isn't gripping as hard once the vehicle begins to slow, and just lets the thing coast. If not interrupted, he experiments with gripping the control spire with varying degrees of strength, subtly so that he doesn't suddenly accelerate the train like Enark did. If Enark's panic is what triggered their insane acceleration, then clearly it's something to do with how the driver grips the controls.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kord calms down and simply takes the reins, content to lead the train down its course to see what it passes by along the way. He turns his head to look over his shoulder to note that there is an owl in the train with them... his tail sways in mild agitation, but he is slowly calming down with the knowledge that he can control where they all end up. That selfish side of him enjoys that knowledge.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I have no idea what I'm doing," he admits. "It should stop when I let go," he muses, "But let's see where it goes."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:964|Kushiko (964)}} has posed:'''<br>The weirdest, nonsensical notion of a face off happens: one is an owl. A kungfu owl, but an abnormal owl all the same. One is a faceless Warframe that doesn't necessarily /have/ an expression, only that perfect kind of murderous intent that winks in and out in preternatural fashion.<br><br>Momentary is her attention flicking to the side, the benefit of someone who /doesn't exist inside the frame/ normally allows for. The chaos of the stopping and starting train, the Unlit horde itself. If she had a face, it would be supremely nonplussed, at least for a few fleeting moments. &lt;"If you think we are to fight, then perhaps we will conduct such more seriously."&gt; comes the voice without presence, ephermal in the way it tinges the space around Valkyr to be heard, the Warframe giving the speargun she's wielding something of a graceful but quick spin.<br><br>&lt;"Else, owl or no owl, you will explain yourself."&gt; ... look, not that she's expecting the owl to /talk/, she wants an explanation as quickly as possible, given the current state of bedlam the train's been undergoing. And maybe the slightly deep furrows rent into the floor beneath her by her clawed feet. <br><br>Catlike reflexes might be more literal than expected, as she deals with this stowaway.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:70|Priscilla (70)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"A better idea than the rest of us." Priscilla says to Kord in her best encouraging tone. Keeping the train level and on course, as well as free of piles of ambush undead waiting to spill in and devour everyone on board, is probably the single most important thing at the moment. Pyramid of needs and all. Everything else can come after. "Stay this course as best as thou art able. The way ahead looks to be important. Perhaps some nexus of transportation, to which all these vehicles must returneth. Surely there, we wouldst find adequate means of navigating to a better destination. Be wary, though. Were it manned, it may be replete with stranded, vicious Unlit already."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Speaking of dumb bullshit that can be taken care of once not crashing into walls is handled, Priscilla then has to address all the hooting and screeching and clattering in the main car behind the conductor's seat. The door abruptly slams open. The air ripples and crawls with the feeling of heat shimmering up from cracked and glassed earth. A wave of needling pressure rolls down the length of the car, and with it comes the brain-piercing, knives-on-chalkboard keening that is like an audible sensation of the fiery <span style="color:xterm214">light</span> that follows it. The floor plates peel upwards, the bars bend inward, and the benches warp, in a large sphere around the obvious point of interest, as if pulled in by a sudden vortex of intese gravity around said owl-derived nonsense.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Lady Kushiko. An explanation please." Priscilla intones, walking out of the conductor's cabin with one eye glowing fiercely. "What manner of beast didst thou allow to board the train during the mere seconds we had made an unscheduled stop." She does spot the broken window. It seems plausible.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:6|Tomoe (6)}} has posed:'''<br>So here they go on a crazy adventure as Pris gets Enark lose while he hangs on for deal life. It seems the train stops the moment thatPris gets the man's hands free of the controls. <br><br> "Ah good that wou...." <br><br> she's cut off as everything now happens at once an owl appears form no where and is attacked she's already goping for her sword now. She's on edge but it seems that something else is comming unlit and she chants a brief spell making ready for a fight but then the train is going with someone else at the controls. She dismisses the spell and put the blade away for now but it looks like things hav not gone as bad as she could. 5R<br> "Crow ...what just /happened/?" <br><br> She looks to see that it was Finna who just got attacked and otherwise. <br><br> "You know your out numbered you might want to stop derping and pay attention. To just the calibur of people youer going to have to deal with if you want a fight."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:974|Carna (974)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Carna hasn't fired yet, but when the owl thing seems to be prepared to fight, that changes. She fires a quick crossbow bolt at the bird, responding to the threat display. With the train's speed varying as Kord gets the feel for the controls, however, the shot might go off the mark.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But then Priscilla comes into the first car of the train and creates a gravity lockdown field thing. Enark shrinks back against his chair when he sees it, vividly recalling it. Crow just watches with interest and plays with the femur spear that was thrown into the train. With Tomoe, Kushiko, Priscilla, and Carna all facing off against the owl, it really doesn't seem like fighting is the best course of action here. But they'll find out what the stow-away intends shortly.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"As near as I can tell, it is a living being," Carna offers after a moment. "It is not native to Lumiere, though its scent indicates it has been here for some time."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As Kord allows the train to continue its circuit without releasing the controls it just circles all the way around the central nexus, passing by other trains, all of them seemingly abandoned, some of them hurled off the tracks as though by some great force, and others burnt out husks. There appear to be many places to dock the train that are free, however, so it just depends on where they want to stop.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There is some illumination that seems to be coming from the ceiling of the large open space. Almost like sunlight, but paler. But even that is radiant in comparison to the murk everywhere else. But there's one spot untouched by all that light. Like a big, gaping black spot. It's hard to tell what it is. A hole, scorch marks, or something else. As they continue to circle, it definitely seems as though it might be a mix of all three of those (including the 'something else') as there is a gigantic metal ring set in the far wall, with glyphs of some kind inscribed into it. Given they can even be made out as glyphs from here indicates they must be quite large, and so too must be the hole or tunnel or whatever.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There looks like a likely safe spot to stop coming up, so when Kord allows them to, the train switched tracks and pulls in on a sort of auto-pilot. It comes to a stop quickly again, with a minimum of jostling inside the train. Momentum-killing magic of some kind possibly.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The doors open, allowing them to disembark into this massive space. It's quite a walk to whatever that ring is, but there's plenty to examine along the way, including very long, half-circle marble counters that look like something one would find in a hotel or airport terminal, huge piles of papers stacked or scattered in such volume that they are knee-height to Priscilla in places, and more obscure items of unclear purpose, such as black obelisks, a dangling crystal on a cord that leads all the way up into the cracked ceiling, and what appear to be some sort of 'computer terminals' all around, though lacking any apparent computer. Just sheets of crystal with an attached keyboard on a swivel arm.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''<br>Being stared down by a Warframe, Finna can probably deal with fairly calmly. The owl slowly drops the shuriken from its beak and talons, then rights itself. But just as it's about to speak...<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE! With one more shriek of alarm... IT STARTS TO GROW. A hard beak melts into human lips and changes roll down the creature like a wave from there. Feathers compress and sink into flesh and she swiftly rockets up in height to an impressive... okay, not so impressive five a half feet tall.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Clothing appears when it's ALMOST too late to call the transformation modest, hunting leathers materializing from a flow of silvery motes her skin exudes. Said skin still seems almost faintly aglow in the light, on top of the silvery tattoos - and gleaming fox ears and tail (ALL ITS FUR STANDING ON END!) that remains, not that anyone saw those earlier. Though human, she seems to simply EXUDE power... though not in the way that other Exalts frequently do. It's subtler than that. More contained. More focused.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Not something Finna's exactly known for. Nevertheless...<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Finna screeches in a panic at Priscilla, even with all the power gathering 'round her, "CAN YOU NOT DESTROY OUR ONLY WAY BACK?!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:954|Count Kord (954)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kord watches the walls of the tunnel as the train carries along its path without his interference. Understanding now how it works and how to operate it with or without passengers, he breathes a great big sigh to himself. Only when it seems like they're nearing their destination does he turn around to enter the passenger area of the train. He steps around Priscilla and looks between each of the passengers.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He fixates Finna with several seconds of stare.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And then he just turns to step off the vehicle, ignoring the conflict entirely. He doesn't seem to care one way or another about Finna's presence, mostly because she didn't seem like a threat the last time he saw her. He steps confidently into this new area, and seeks out one of the strange panels, his tail swaying in cadence with his step and the scythe lifted above the floor so it doesn't make noise. He reaches out to toy with the crystals on the panel, examining the device with a distracted interest. It has always been clear that he would wander off on his own if allowed to do so, and now isn't any different.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:70|Priscilla (70)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If Priscilla is supposed to look relieved to see the strange owl-thing is only Finna, she's breaking the rules. She definitely, absolutely, does not look that way. "/Our/ way out?" comes her hard-edged response, possessing all the relieved familiarty as a frozen piece of glass under a fingernail. Focusing the invisible power into a point, she telekinetically punts Finna out the open door and across the boarding platform, walking out a moment after.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"How very amusing, that thou shouldst think thineself guaranteed to leave as well. Maketh no mistake, precocious changeling whelp. Last we were assembled here, it was beneath the tenuous banner of the Union proper. Now, such is no longer the case, and thou hast made the very unwise decision of stalking several members of my Concord, for unknown purpose, and to unknown ends. Any one of us wouldst be right in assuming thee a spy of unknown allegiance, or an especially incompetent assassin, at this point. For what other reason wouldst thou seeketh to follow us in secret?"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If Priscilla was the type to snap her fingers and have henchmen do things, now would be the time. "Count Kord, see well if thou art able to retrieveth any records from that device. Lady Kushiko, see likewise if thou art able to reach and examine that crystal. Sir Enark, Sir Crow, please assist them. Lady Carna, watch this one."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:964|Kushiko (964)}} has posed:'''<br>Priscilla's presence, that full and truly unnerving presence, that kind of terrifying thing that instinctively, Kushiko recognized was not just, you know. Terrifying. It was terrifying a different way, that she didn't necessarily want to displease her. But more interestingly enough, given her own nature, albeit far less /on display/ and her quietly broken nature, it was soothing, as it almost always was around Priscilla. Maybe that's why she found herself drawn to the Concord's First, maybe it was something the Lotus saw in her too. No matter. <br><br>&lt;"Allow nothing. Suddenly it was screeching when nothing should've been there. We think it was clouding itself, somehow."&gt; Hard to say, honestly and for certain, and it's probably just as well the hikou stars she threw weren't necessarily explosive stars, otherwise Exalted Owl or no, it would've been bad times. &lt;"We do not think it came aboard during the stop, however. It's been... we think it's been on the train car's ceiling."&gt; She's processing and thinking rather quickly now. Truthfully, the only reason she just didn't snap into a murder engine that would properly terrify the Exalt was that she was not particularly interested in smashing the car while it was still in motion. They'd come around and hit it again. And that would be unfortunate. <br><br>Of course, now is the time to actually regard Finna in full with well, her Owl-based shenanigans as the train starts coming to a halting point overall. &lt;"We recall you, if vaguely,"&gt; the Tenno remarks, somewhat distantly as she and the others disembark after Finna's somewhat galling punt (Ordis gives it an 8.9, however) and Priscilla's orders are given. &lt;"Very well."&gt; And on that curt note, she puts away the Hikou throwing stars and her Javlok, mostly so she can throw out a grappling hook borne on a cord of light to slingshot herself upwards. <br><br>When she does proceed upward, she simply slows. IT's a familiar sense of that Void energy that exudes from her as she delicately alters her weight to affix herself to the cord in order to examine the crystal firsthand. Gravity has no governance over her for some reason. She's also looking up towards where the cord disappears up to, before focusing her attention on the crystal. Is there energy from it, is there a draining kind of thing going on, is it trying to be active?! Fiddle. <br> <br>

:'''{{#var:6|Tomoe (6)}} has posed:'''<br>Tomoe is looking not very happy with Finna for a moment but she seems to relaxes somewhat. She looks between the members of the party. She looks over to Carana nodding once. <br><br> "So something not native but has been lurking here for a while?" <br><br> She will get a good look outside as she sees the seemingly safe spot which is coming up. she'll get ready to get off the train now as it looks like it's time. The moment the door is opened and she's heading out. <br><br> The show down happens with Priscilla and finna and Finna's always been an ass and has been an ass to her. She's also has a good deal of trust in Priscilla as well. <br><br> "Lady Priscilla what would you have me do?" <br><br> It seems she's willing to fall in line with the Concord on this operations. Unless she's told otherwise she'll be keeping an eye on Finna as well. <br><br> "Yes we're not under the union anymore so I can tell you to sod off if you start being a rampant asshole again."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:974|Carna (974)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Carna appears to be the only one who doesn't seem bothered by Finna's reveal of her identity. She doesn't lower her crossbow, even as the Lunar is expelled from the train, but she doesn't react with anger or apathy. More like she's just... Waiting for something. She disembarks when everyone else does, walking up to Finna, and then lowering her weapon. She looks the other woman up and down, squints through the space between her collar and her huge hat, and then asks, "Should I remember who you are?"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Crow slips off the train in Carna's shadow, able to lift more of itself up off the ground into a large blob thanks to the light sources on the other side. "Yeah, she's, you know. That one. From the thing. You remember, right? That one thing?" It stares unblinklingly at Carna. "You know? From back then? Rememeber? We did that stuff together. Remember?" =:D<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Carna glances towards Crow. "No. I have no recollection of this individual."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Crow responds, "Yeah, me neither. Never met her. But it seems like I should know so I was hoping you would remember and tell me." :/<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Enark then brings some clarity to the situation by calling out as he wobbily emerges, "This is Lady Finna, who accompanied us on the expedition through the Library of Murdered Knowledge and that..." He pauses and looks towards Priscilla. "Further exploration after we parted company. Did you not write that down?"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Carna stares at Enark without any sign of recognition of what he's describing.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Blue Scholar clears his throat, brushes down his blue robes, and moves around to one of the desks. "Right. Well, I'm not certain why we are certainly at odds with Lady Finna, though her stalking behavior IS rather unsettling. However, I am certain we will have an explanation in due time and this will all be cleared up. We are supposed to be prophecied to work together or somethi--I mean. Ahem. Let us see what I can do. To assist." He comes over next to Kord to watch over the latter's shoulder.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Crow watches through glassy circle eyes with no smile on its face, very intently observing as the count and the scholar try to make ancient undead computers function.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:974|Carna (974)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Carna watches as well, but then her eyes return to Finna. She speaks quietly, under her breath. "Crow."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The shadow wiggles one of its ear-horn things to indicate it heard her.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Do you know anything about this prophecy?" she whispers under her breath.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Just as quietly, Crow responds, "A bunch of people have prophecies. I heard some of them when those Stone Devil guys attacked the Lantern settlement at the Church." A pause. "But I don't remember hearing them for Enark, Finna, or the others."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As Enark moves to a different terminal to try to turn it on by feeling around the crystal sheet, Carna asks, "And do you know what happened during this further exploration?"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Crow sends a ripple up its edges to simulate a shrug.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Carna looks Finna dead in the eye. Then she approaches the Lunar steadily and slowly. It seems like she attempts to punch Finna in the gut (possibly just because everyone else doesn't appear to like her so she can't be good, right?), and then to take the Lunar's arm firmly (possibly to make sure she doesn't go anywhere), while leaning in and whispering something dire-sounding (maybe a warning not to cause trouble).<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Meanwhile, Crow slips away unobtrusively to watch Kushiko's frame tinker with the crystal. Thanks to all the light, it has much more 'mass' to play with and stretches up to join her in examining the dangling bauble. As Kushiko starts testing it for how it functions, Crow asks, "It would really suck if this was, like, a bomb or something, huh?" =:I<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Meawhile, Enark finds a near-invisible switch on the back of the crystal screen. The screen flickers a bit, showing signs of still working, but then dies out. He frowns. "This one is cracked. Sir Kord, a little below half-way down on the back of the screen, there is a clever little switch that blends into the crystal. Your screen appears to be intact. If you could switch it on, we might get some answers."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Assuming Kord does as requested, the screen comes to life, displaying scrolling text in glowing symbols in... A completely unfamiliar language. But it is readable regardless, it just resembles nothing based on any Earth. It's quite possibly the language of the Dead, created in Lumiere, for use by Lumiere's residents. And it seems to be listing a number of different overlapping messages. Warnings about system failures, something about a proximity alarms for 'Nameless' (whatever that is), directories for various computer files and functions, including records, names, arrivals and departures, transit maps, and more. Some of it seems to be corrupted from the way the letters keep warping and changing, de-rezzing in unreadable messes.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:974|Carna (974)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It seems there is still some flow of energy to the crystal, from what Kushiko can tell. The crystal itself seems built to amplify energy, in the same way that a diamond can be used to focus a laser. But it doesn't seem like light is what this one focuses. Up in the cracked ceiling it seems there are many glowing orbs of some kind, some dimmer than others, one or two broken. So not sunlight, as might have been hoped by those who forgot they are terribly far underground.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Crow doesn't try to go any higher or closer to the lights, as that would start to diminish its size and break up its body, but it does call down to Priscilla, "Hey, maybe I should start reading through all these papers, Prisszilla. I'm pretty good at speed reading. Unless you want to just ignore it all and go check out that giant spook ring thing?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:954|Count Kord (954)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kord does as instructed, and seems quite appreciative of Enark's help, "Ah. Thank you," he mumbles, about as much gratitude as one can expect from him off the cuff. When the word 'Nameless' comes up alongside a proximity alert, he hesitates and straightens his posture to scan their surroundings, squinting until his gaze stops on Carna.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"There is an alert for the 'Nameless' being nearby. I believe that to be a word for the Unlit..." He glances aside to Enark, and at the others, venturing a guess, "Before they were called Unlit?" Enark is given the most attention for this, because if anyone would know anything about that it would be him. The Count steps away from the console after that, "All of these are broken. Whatever information they are meant to convey is lost by some kind of corruption." Hey, he doesn't need to know about computers to see it like that.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He turns to approach the ring that Crow mentioned. He lowers a hand to pick up a piece of paper as he passes a pile, carelessly knocking it over in the motion. He tries to read the sheet of paper on his way.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''<br>"OOWOOARF-----!!" Finna seemingly wasn't expecting the telekinetic power. She's swept off her feet and sent tumbling out over the platform easily enough... but despite the speed and suddenness of it all she WHIPS AROUND in midair much like a cat and lands on all her feet. All the momentum bleeds off with a dramatic, well-balanced skidding manuever that leaves her with TEETH BARED AND CLENCHED and actual indignant fury on her youthful face aimed back at the train! ... But she bites down on the fury within about five seconds, rather forceably.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Maybe I'm 'stalking' -" Finna actually goes as far as to gesture for 'air quotes'! - "- you because you're thornier than a thousand porcupines! But if you expect a knife in the back over mere words, /just keep that up/ and you could get one! Then where would this sorry place be? Someone's got to unravel the mess its souls are in." The Lunar shoots Priscilla a disgusted glare that quickly dries up as she clamps down on her anger. "Ugh, to think I'd JUST been thinking about how to make peace with you."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Now scowling, if with less outright panic to show for everyone, she... glances about the platform. And finally purses her lips at Tomoe. Blinks. Blinks again. "... Wait, what are /YOU/ mad at me over? It's been about five years... hasn't it?" She awkwardly scratches the back of her head.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It has certainly not been five years, but she sure doesn't sound like she's making that one up. Not that she looks any older. After another five seconds of puzzling she mutter-adds, "OhforyouIguessjustone..."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;With her anger at Priscilla seemingly drying up - or at least being shoved under a rug again - the foxgirl gives Tomoe a heartmeltingly curious look as she struggles to remember. Sure doesn't seem very aggressive. Hasn't even drawn a weapon.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's Enark's politeness that triggers a happy earquirk and a quick shift to full glee! Her tail starts cheerily wagging up a storm in no time, matched with a brilliant smile! "Good scholar, good to see you're still alive! ... About! ... you know what I mean." The expression turns a bit colorfully sheepish... then uncertain as Carna approaches. Her eyes start to narrow and turn a bit cold, but she quite literally turns an ear about to listen to whatever Carna's whispering and shuffles about... there's something odd about the way her lips twist about in what might be annoyance, but... whatever, right?<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:964|Kushiko (964)}} has posed:'''<br>Oh yes. That incident. The incident we don't talk about with Carna. What were we talking about again? <br><br>Still, the Lunar's exhibited behavior here of stalking the group instead of perhaps announcing is a little bit aggravating and perhaps makes /her/ wish she had taken a stealth tack in a different way to play observer and detector.<br><br>All the same, she replies pretty quickly with Crow's query regarding it being a bomb. Or rather, the possibility therein. &lt;"It would hurt, yes. It wouldn't kill us, we think."&gt; Despite all appearences to the contrary, the lean and mean Valkyr is an incredibly difficult to kill sort of Warframe, and that's before she actually uses her powers to augment that into nigh invulnerability. &lt;"If it is a bomb, we doubt that was the intended purpose and would have to be rigged to do so. Or just be volatile to begin with."&gt; she murmurs. As she says this, Crow's treated to a floating face. <br><br>Namely Kushiko's own, through a holographic emitter, if briefly. The scarred, youthful face, short hair and decidedly 'unnatural' elements technically would make her right at home in most anime. Her eyes, even her irii, shimmer faintly with the same glowing colors on Valkyr. The light of her face blips off as she finishes the first plass of examination, shifting her position to look upwards into the cracks. <br><br>&lt;"It's some kind of amplifying crystal, like a focusing lens. We see some more orbs up there, some look broken from here. Can't be focusing light, this one."&gt; Very gingerly, she considers it. &lt;"Energy, but of what kind we can't say."&gt; On this, Ordis is running some analysis far and away from here. Maybe he can figure out through what Kushiko's sensors on her Warframe have picked up on. <br><br>... on the other hand, there's also the notion of just channeling a bit of Void energy--a hint, a gleaming suffusion of lilac-tinted flight into a clawtip as she lets it hover near. Curiosity! Cats! <br> <br>

:'''{{#var:6|Tomoe (6)}} has posed:'''<br>Tomoe is clarly not happy with Finna she looks like she wants to deck the Lunar to be honest. She has no real job, no faction or anything like that to make her keep her mouth shut in regards to the Lunar at this point. She looks over to Enark as he gets to workthen back to Finna. She looks at her unhappy. <br><br> "Five years it's been under a year." <br><br> She doesn't seem happy but she calms down enough she isn't out right going to smack Finna still she's not too pleased. If Priscilla has orders for hewr and she's ready for it. <br><br> "What do you mean /five/ years? Did you fall into a time warp?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:70|Priscilla (70)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"And thou art about as sensible as diving amidst such a comparable jumble of spines with any of this behaviour." Priscilla retorts. "Thou hast had plenty of time to think of such, if thine intention was ever to apologize. To follow for so long in transparent hopes of not being seen is as damaging to the credibility of such a statement as anything, and thou were already perhaps the least trustworthy person I was ever aware of, including the Infernal of thine kind. If I am not to assumeth it a gesture of hostility, then I am to assumeth it yet another one of thine spontaneous and poorly thought through leaps into action which beggar the imagination. Thou art banking on mine opinion of thine ineptitude to leave this behind. Whilst I am happy to oblige such, it is shedding thine dignity for thine life, like the tail of a lizard."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Priscilla bristles in a visible way. "If thou think thou hast the killing instinct to bring a blade even a thousandth of the way to maketh good on such a threat, I can only consider it insanity too grave to laugh. Believeth thou art able to do so, and I shalt examine these 'chosen gifts' mineself whence I wrench thine soul from thine bleeding corpse." She is absolutely, positively, up and down one-hundred-percent Not Having It. "Talk down to me at thine peril, degenerate fox. It is I who holds these reins, not thee. If thou art so full of pride and so empty of sense as not to next approach in a manner so humble as befitting a mendicant then the world shalt go on without thee. Thou art nothing. A failure in every venture thou undertaketh."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There are, though, actually people wanting her attention, and for reasons important enough that Priscilla won't just ignore them in favour of selfishly berating Finna for hours (as much as she'd double-selfishly like to). Enough steam is let out of the system for now. At Kushiko's hypothesis, she prompts Crow. "Dist thou sayeth not something about these vehicles being attuned to some manner of 'pylon'? Hath these any role in powering this network? I cannot imagine this designed originally to run on burning souls." Then Kord. "I wouldst not be so certain so swiftly. There art more than enough strange and baleful things here as to qualify for warnings, and most without names known to either the living or the dead. Wouldst Sir Enark be able to repair these?" Exhaling very heavily, she turns and starts walking to the console to see for herself.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:974|Carna (974)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After that interaction between Carna and Finna, the Lantern stays relatively nearby to keep an eye on her, hands at her sides as though weapons waited there to grab though it doesn't appear there are any. The purpose behind and motivation for the furious diatribe from Priscilla is lost upon Carna, though Crow seems uncomfortable.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Hey, c'mon. What's all this about? Cut the owl some slack! Not everyone can be as socially soph... Sophistr... Not everyone is as good a talker as me!" Crow attempts to vouch for Finna (kind of??)<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Enark frowns and comes over to take a look at the computer as Kord leaves it. "The Unlit came unexpectedly. I did not even know they had a name until you all told me it. I think it is unlikely there was a placeholder name decided upon before already, but I am not certain what else... Hm. It does sound... Vaguely familiar. But where have I heard it before...?" He tap-taps his way through various directories and lists, reading things as he comes across them, but not sure what precisely he is looking for.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The paper Kord looks at seems to be a transcript for... An 'arrival'. Saul Black. It lists various information about him, though some of it is quite cryptic. Statistics and references to things that probably make sense in context but as they are in a single-page document, mean nothing. But then he may notice a little something at the very bottom of the page. 'Death Name: Sol.' The bare minimum of what can be discerned from that is that this is the paper record of someone who recently died. This is the record of someone who was alive, died, and then was given a new name in death. So that would make this place...<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;That huge scorched runic ring all the way on the other side of this immense open area...<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This must be where the newly Dead arrived in Lumiere, once upon a time. But clearly, something happened here. It really does look like something exploded.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:974|Carna (974)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I think that this alarm has been going on for quite some time." Enark remarks. "Whatever triggered it might not be here anymore. However, the alert is annoying, so I should see if I can turn it off so it stops obscuring the other data." He reaches a finger towards the message. At the same time, Kushiko's finger hovers near the crystal, with void energy tracing it. And right then, Ordis determines this is the type of crystal that amplifies kinetic energy. As in vibrations. As in sound waves! What joy!<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Enark taps the notification. The crystal sucks in the void energy and then begins BLARING out a VERY LOUD ALARM from RIGHT NEXT TO KUSHIKO. Thousands of different intense-sounding voices begin yelling out instructions for evacuation in every Earthly language, and some UN-Earthly ones, all of them clamoring over each other to instruct people not to panic and to please head to the evacuation shelters in an orderly fashion. Dozens of large round doorways appear and start opening in the walls all around them as crackling black energy fields appear in all the larger openings between this station and the trains, cutting them off from their way out.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As loud as the alarm is, there's another noise is the distance that is growing louder and has been in the distance for awhile now. But now, with the alarm to draw its source, it is becoming much, much louder. The thunder of many feet drumming on a hard surface. The jumbled voices of those who know nothing but hunger and fear. One of the boarding points nearest that giant ring appears to have suffered the brunt of whatever happened. It's the one where trains were burnt out and thrown off the tracks. The energy field cuts off around some of those trains that intersect the opening, creating gaps through the force field. And that is the place through which the Unlit from all the other platforms they passed, attention captured by the noise and the smell of the Living, come pouring through in a flood of decaying, ichor-dripping bodies, ravenous and shrieking.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There's a lot of newly-appeared door ways in the walls to choose from for getting out of here.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It might be best that they do so.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But something disquieting radiates from those holes. Something... Just shy of enough to make one hesitate to go into them and maybe actually favor facing the Unlit hordes instead. And there's nothing even there, as far as any senses or sensors can tell. Just tunnels leading further underground, and away from THIS disaster and the hungry maws. Almost enough to abandon survival instincts and stand here to fight to the death. But not quite.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:974|Carna (974)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Enark looks up, frozen in horror, towards Priscilla. His finger hovering near the screen, his jaw slack, his face even paler than usual. Those are, after all, his biggest fear. The thing that kept him locked in a tower for billions of years by himself with nothing but a vicious chair for company. He taps the alert again, but it appears to have no affect.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Crow turns from watching all this play out, to face everyone, and says, "I think we're going to need a bigger train."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''<br>"Apologize?! For what?! The only way you'd be more full of yourself is scarfing down yer arms! Called it like it is then, I'll do it now! You're a puffy-headed, pig-faced, antiquated tyrant! Not gonna apologize for the truth." She VEHEMENTLY shakes her head for sheer emphasis, but seems to be CALMING DOWN despite the return to childish insult-hurling.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If anything she might be doing it just to get a rise out of Priscilla at this point. Is she actually poking the half-sleeping dragon, metaphorically?<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Maybe. Just maybe.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;With a smooth, performer-like elegance she pirouettes in place and gestures broadly at the whole platform and everyone about. "I've got bigger things to deal with than you, fluffy. Look at this place!"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;With Crow putting in a good word for her, Finna leaps over and WRAPS AN ARM around him... well... as much as one can do that given what he is! "Hooray, someone around here has some sens--SEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKYGH!"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She FLINGS HERSELF AWAY JUST AS QUICKLY, and sticks to the ceiling like a Gecko with an impressive leap. Because SOMEONE just triggered a loud, horrible alarm that has her up in arms!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:964|Kushiko (964)}} has posed:'''<br>Any thoughts, any kind of words she can throw in edgewise are rapidly, wildly dismissed by that goddamn /keening/ noise right next to her. Now, it doesn't actually /hurt/ the Warframe's sense of hearing, but the sensation is not even remotely pleasent to the Tenno some distance away.<br><br>The grimace that the Warframe itself echoes of it's operator gives way to her dropping quickly from the cord itself, and her senses are open to the sheer, snaking horror of what would be here to fight, and what one would have to fight through to escape. She could hold them off, until the others escaped. Sacrifice the Warframe, sacrifice a piece of herself. <br><br>There's something very subtle in her countenance. Maybe Priscilla, or someone else could see it in the way she surveys those horrors. But no. No, they would run, and fight. This just became a Survival escape. <br><br>In answer to the screams, the howls, comes an utterly unearthly one from Valkyr--the one time any Warframe speaks, it's her. And it's a scream to bring about armor, to augment the speed of those here--at least when it comes to the traditional melee arts. But more importantly, she screams, and this one is a transcendent howl that's felt into one's very essence. <br><br>Great claws of energy, and light that wreathes her body. &lt;"We move. We hunt. We get out of here, and carve a path through them,"&gt; she practically seethes, her voice practically /everywhere/ around people. <br> <br>
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