Scene #8488: Infinity Baggage: The Isekai-ish Board Game Car

Owner	Pose
Kale Hearthward	Okay so let's recap, since we're pretty far into things. - Kale Hearthward and Petra Soroka end up being teleported to this giant train running through the Line. This turns out to not be an isolated incident; more people end up teleported onto this train every day. The people teleported onto the train get referred to as Passengers. - Passengers have a number magically tattooed(?) onto the palms of their right hands. The number corresponds to how close they are to solving one or more of their life problems, calculated in some unknown way, and the numbers go down or up as they gain or lose progress towards solving those problems. When a Passenger's number reaches 0, they're allowed to leave the train (via being teleported back to their home world). - The train's full of hammerspace cars with weird things in them. - Elites headed to the engine car to complain to the Conductor, and found that the Conductor has been kidnapped by a quote unquote 'VIP Guest', who also gained control of and hid the 'Tape Car', and both of those will be required to change anything about the train. Okay, that's enough catching up. So far there hasn't been a great method put forth for locating the missing Conductor nor car, so the group's been working on a process of elimination - correlating reports and data to remove possibilities for where the Tape Car might be, and then just checking the remaining cars manually. It's been slow progress, but it's still progress. ... That's assuming that everyone here is here for that, of course. There's other reasons to be poking around on this train. Treasure? Adventure? Mystery? Friendship? Danger? ... Food? The train could contain anything. Getting on is a problem, assuming you don't already have a reliable method. You're dealing with The Line, then catching or intercepting the train, and getting on board in the space between the cars. (There's no windows or skylights, just two doors to each train car - one in front and one in back.) Assuming you get past all of that, then there's the cars themselves... exploring the train on foot becomes a gauntlet of challenges. Such as... NOW ENTERING: The Airless Obstacle Course Car This one's a bit of a problem if you need air to survive, or aren't good at obstacle courses. NOW ENTERING: The Stained Glass Mine Car And then this one's a bit of a problem if you aren't good at artistic stuff. Theoretically all you need to do is mine out enough stained glass to fill up the empty picture frame at the end in order to unlock the door, but... is it art? NOW ENTERING: The Pumpkin Car And this car's a bit of a problem if you don't like pumpkins. ... All it contains is a large amount of pumpkins of different sizes, from tiny handheld pumpkins to ones as big as apartment buildings. There doesn't seem to be a puzzle or challenge or hazard, it's just... pumpkins. The exit door isn't even locked.
Kupot	AIRLESS OBSTACLE COURSE Kupot makes quick trips, jumping between the obstacle and the entrance to aid people as much as he can. He needs air, but he can, at least, push people through more quickly. The Stained Glass Mine Car Kupot's eye optic cover stares down the glass pieces, showing where they can piece together, and he carefully pieces them together. THE PUMPKIN CAR He sits there. He is sitting on a larger pumpkin, staring down at a smaller pumpkin. He is holding a third pumpkin in another hand. His optics analyze it. His own head tilts, staring down at the pumpkin. Slowly, his rotates his fingers, balancing the pumpkin and rolling it around his fingers. He's been there for a while. "Kupo... what... life lesson do you learn HERE?" He's been here a very long time.
Ishirou	When Ishirou lands with the rest of the group, the only thing to change is the fact the flight unit goes back. He does not detransform out of RESCUE, which has changed to make sure all of his body is covered, including his face. AIRLESS OBSTACLE COURSE Ishirou doesn't have a problem with this one, and he makes it possible for nobody else to have a problem with this car because of RESCUE and his ability to share the powers he has. So everyone gets to be able to breathe without air. THE STAINED GLASS MINE CAR Ishirou is terrible at art, but he /tries/. The best he can do is (somehow) stick figures made out of stained glass. THE PUMPKIN CAR Ishirou likes pumpkins and occasionally picks one up to examine it, and then shoves it into his dimensional pocket. He can use it to make some sort of food later. Though halfway through he pauses, frowns, and stops collecting pumpkins, placing them down in a small pile. Wordlessly he moves on, opening the door. The RESCUE has not come off once.
Touta Konoe	When it comes to the matter of why Touta has decided to join up on this train, it's the answer that he's been given for a while now...He wants to expand his horizons. And frankly this train also seems to be another good excuse to meet a few particular people. He's been a bit later on the arrival than a few others that made their way to the train, but through one method or another it appears he's been able to find a reliable way to get onto the train, and with it well... "Hey, little late to the party here, but I think I'm in one of the trains and uh...Just a heads up..." He tries to take in a breath but well...Nope, nothing. At the very least it appears that Touta's not having too much of an issue even without air. Immortality without the need for oxygen was apparently a good thing. If there were any issues for anyone getting along for that car he'd be happy to help move them along with Kupot. When it comes to the Stained glass...It's hard to say if he's creative or not, but the puzzle-like way the glass needs to be applied is definitely something of an entertaining aspect for him till he gets it himself or the others show the way. The pumpkins he's not so sure about one way or the other, but Halloweens still a bit far away, and they did just have that stained glass adventure so...He's already feeling a bit creative at the moment. By the time they leave this one, he's got a jack-o-lantern pumpkin in his hands. Hopefully he can carry this one with him.
Angela	Cinder has returned to the Train, carrying a video pad with Angela on it with one hand. They have elected to visit once more as they're aware that Petra isn't exactly THRILLED with having a judging number on their hands and further investigation may prove fruitful in finding another way to deal with that. AIRLESS OBSTACLE COURSE Cinder nearly suffocates and she has to back out for a moment. "The hell? I thought the whole point of this was to help Passengers overcome problems, this is just murder?! She takes in a deep breath and runs forward. It actually takes her a few times because she can't use her EGO Weapon effectively in the car. In the end, Cinder has to open the door and then activate her EGO Weapon in the car to propel herself through the door and make her way across the rest of the Obstacle Car. THE STAINED GLASS MINE CAR Cinder pants for breath for a long while. "I thought I was gonna DIE..." But Cinder, as it turns out, is not that bad at art. She slides in some rainbow patterns into the frame and then THE PUMPKIN CAR "...This...doesn't seem so bad." Cinder says, taking a look around. "These are... Pumpkins..." Angela says, eyes widening because she's never seen pumpkins before. "...Would it not smell to live inside one, however?" "I...don't know. Say... Angela?" "Mm?" Angela asks, staring at the world before her. "Are you... enjoying spending time with us?" "...What." HOW DID SHE KNOW? "...Sorry, uh, I mean. I'm glad you are?" Angela doesn't answer.
Kale Hearthward	What is the life lesson here, in the Pumpkin Car? Why does the Pumpkin car exist? Did someone just really like pumpkins, or hate pumpkins, or... what? All of these questions... will not be getting answers. Touta gets to keep his pumpkin, though. NOW ENTERING: The Board Game Car "Hey!" The party doesn't make it far into this car before they're greeted by... someone with a heart motif. Wearing a suit with hearts emblazoned all over it, rings that have heart shaped jewels on them, and a head that's not a human head but instead a heart (like the <3 symbol, not the organ) with facial features on it. "Been a while since we got visitors. Been a longer while since we got this many visitors all at once! Welcome to the Board. I'm Heart." The 'board' turns out to be one long winding trail, going past forests and buildings and hills and all manner of terrain features. The trail's partitioned off with thick black lines every few meters. "Great, great - so the goal of the game here is to get to the end... oh, you'll need some dice." Large, baseball sized D6's are pressed into everyone's hands. "You roll, and that's how many spaces you go - and the best part is, when someone rolls, everyone gets to move that many spaces! No more lagging behind or being way too far ahead. Great, right?"
Ishirou	The conversation on the radio has done more to make Ishirou quieter and recede more into a shell than before. He can't hide anything more about himself, so instead he just starts avoiding eye contact and keeping his eyes down on the ground when he can. Honestly, if he could he'd disappear right now. Arriving, causes Ishirou to get dice shoved into his hands, and his eyes focus on that for the moment instead of anything else. They all get to move at once. Okay. He looks over the board, for the first time in a minute he's raised his lookup. He looks at his pair of fist-sized dice and throws them out to roll. <5> <2> "So...I go seven..? In what direction?"
Dysnomia	Dysnomia landed the same way as she did before...Messily. Grumbling, She pushed her way up, her wings folding back into her body. She was getting BETTER at this, though...A fact that only served to disgruntle her further. AIRLESS OBSTACLE COURSE Mia is a third of the way through the obstacle course, moving at a leisurely pace before she notices that her steps sound more muted than normal. With an almost embarassed wince, her suit folds back up over her head, into a helmet. That was fast enough for them to not know I don't need it, right? Well, it might have been, if they thought she was very good at holding her breath. And didn't notice anything else. THE STAINED GLASS MINE CAR Dysnomia is spared by not having many complicated feelings on art or its requirement. She stared at the broken glass in her hand, as she slipped it into place, thought I guess this is kind of pretty and the door opened before she even finished filling it in. PUMPKINS She looked too and fro, and, noticing there wasn't anyone there with her anymore, breathed plasma onto one of the larger pumpkins. She then gulped down the smoldering remains before following along behind the others. The Board Game Car Mia stared at Heart, brushing some ash from her lip with a knuckle. "So someone rolls and we all move the same number of spaces. In the same direction." She repeated the rules as she understood them, her mouth thinning.
Kupot	The radio makes Kupot decide that the pumpkin car is a meditation car. He contemplates the pumpkin for as long as possible before he is along with everyone else in THE BOARD GAME CAR. Kupot's habit, even in this place, is to move his head around slowly, draw in every angle and try to analyze with his HUD. Unfortuantely, that doesn't do very much here. Everything is... well, powerful. Reality bending. He focuses instead on the man in the heart outfit and the die placed into his hand. It is a tad oversized for him, and he is stuck looking down at it. The edges of vision fade. Two moogle children happily roll die over a board game that is hardly a game at all. Just the matter of being together and pitted against each other is fun enough. Color and present time reasserts itself. Kupot looks over at Ishirou, then the path ahead. "This way." Kupot counts quietly for each line, leading the way seven spaces.
Touta Konoe	Making it into the new car seems to be a quick meet and greet with Heart. "Man, you're really keeping to the theme, huh?" He's not against the dice at all, or even rolling them. He's quick to follow the same rolls that everyone else does before rolling his own, but at the same time... "Hey, Mr. Heart, so if we're all taking the same spaces together, does that mean we're going to be winning and losing together as well?" It seemed like a pretty honest question. The point of games was to be competitive with other players right? Even if there was a teamwork aspect. So was it correct that they all take the win and loss together though?
Angela	Cinder shoves Angela into a pocket so she can collect a D6 baseball. Well two D6 baseballs as it turns out. She blinks a few times at them and then over to the dude with a heart for a head. Cinder shivers a little but then says, "ah, hey... Heart. I'm Cinder." She's thinking of the Queen of Hatred right now who also has a heart motiff. A <3 motiff. She rolls a die and gets a 6! Then she rolls the second die and gets a 2! "...Though we're all going at the same time so ... Not sure it matters." She starts moving across the board, content to follow the rules of the car. "...Is it wrong to enjoy the company of someone you like?" "Is it just Petra? Or do you like the rest of us?" Angela still doesn't answer but she makes a face like she's thinking about it. "Do you think Petra...Oh uh. I mean... Nevermind!" Angela stops making the thinking face and just stays quiet.
Kale Hearthward	There's some confusion about whether you're supposed to roll one die or two. "It doesn't matter! As long as everyone's having a good time." The group continues on as a unit, rounding a bend and then going over a bridge. > "Hey, Mr. Heart, so if we're all taking the same spaces together, does that mean we're going to be winning and losing together as well?" "Ooooh - no, that's wrong. It means we're all winning together. There shouldn't even be a possibility of losing!" And then Heart gets hip-checked right off of the bridge and into the water feature they're passing. The new figure on the scene is wearing a spade-patterned cape, with spade symbol shoulderguards, and holding a rapier (which is vaguely spade-shaped) with one hand. Oh, and his head is a spade, too. "I got here late - not sorry, deal with it! The actual game you're supposed to play is..." "... You roll a dice, and the number that comes up, that's how many times you hit other people!" "Like, literally hit! I'd better see some bruises, alright! And whoever's left standing gets to go to the next car! None of this togetherness craps, it's gonna be one winner and one winner only, like there should be!"
Ishirou	Ishirou stares at Heart. Isn't a game about winning and losing? Sure you have fun, but there is always a winner and a loser... The Heart is replaced with Spade. "... You roll a dice, and the number that comes up, that's how many times you hit other people!" Ishirou stares at Spade for a while. He drops the dice on the ground and walks off the board. "I refuse," he says finally.
Touta Konoe	"... You roll a dice, and the number that comes up, that's how many times you hit other people!" He had watched as the spade had just knocked Heart into the water so when he's told the rules well... "Well, if you say so..." Thus the moment he rolls his two, he gives two hits to Spade intending to knock him into the water next. "Anyone have a problem with me doing that? He didn't say we couldn't, right?"
Ishirou	"Why do you think it's approprate to hit him?" Ishirou asks Touta.
Dysnomia	Mia's consternated stare at Spade split her face into an open smirk, and a low chuckle. "Oh don't be such a narc. I think this is just fine." She snickered. "I would have done it, and I wouldn't have asked permission." She held up one hand, her suit purring as its telekinetic array purred to life. A distortion appeared in the air, which she used to try to help push Spade off the side and further down the river.
Touta Konoe	"Well, for one, he did tell us we had to hit other people. So the first part is his own rule. Second thing was because he hit Heart who didn't do anything wrong, and I don't want to hit you guys. Three was..." As he says that last part he trails off as if he's waiting for something to potentially happen.
Kupot	Kupot is elsewhere. Dark hands reach out at the edges of his vision, reaching out towards him. To drag him back to that day. The sudden addition of someone new allows Kupot to focus on the here and now, his head snapping up, pom lighting up with lines. Everyone immediately lashes out at the Spade. Kupot holds the side of the bridge and then leaps off, walking out into the water to the place where the Heart fell. He tucks the die under one arm and holds out the other to help him up. "Are you okay, kupo?"
Angela	Cinder seems confused. "Er." to the Spade guy. She rubs at her head. "...What...lesson is this suppoed to teach? Don't listen to people who tell you to hit people?" "It is too early to tell." Angela says. "Roll the die." Cinder shrugs a bit and rolls it. She gets a five. "Understood. Try to fulfill the Abnormality's conditions and see how that effects the journey." Cinder nods a few times. "I don't really get how that's going to help us hit other people so." She looks towards the person who seems to be annoying Petra the most at the moment, walks over to him, and then proceeds to raise her fire sword-- "With your fists, Cinder." Cinder laughs apologetically and mumbles a few sorries before trying to slam her fist into Touta's gut. And then take a few more swings at him after until she gets to five.
Kale Hearthward	"What - you can't refuse! That's the game!" Spade's entirely focused on Ishirou walking away, and so he misses getting hit into the river by an impressive display of teamwork that'd make Heart proud if he wasn't busy crawling up onto the shore and drying off. "I'm fine, I'm fine, thank you..." says Heart, though he seems a bit disheartened. From behind the group, there's a ding sound. "Hey! Great!" This one's obviously Clubs. She's got the clubs symbol everywhere, and she's holding up a clubs-symbol-shaped-scoreboard. "Achievement unlocked: Air Bud Rules!" The scoreboard ticks over from 0 percent to 1 percent. "Just keep on finding those achievements - ooh! Achievement unlocked: Touta Annihilation! Just ninety eight more to find!" The scoreboard ticks over to two percent.
Ishirou	Though it seems that Club's part in the game is gone. He really doesn't like hurting other people, and he shakes his head at Touta. He doesn't try and stop Cinder. The dice float up into the air and back into his hands. "...we have to get all of the achievements?" he asks. "What is this supposed to teach us? To blindly consume entertainment media?" He tosses his dice again. <4> <5>
Touta Konoe	"Ah, hang on a second everyone--Ooof" As he says that last part he trails off as if he's sucker punched the first time by Cinder. "Oi, someone's a little too giddy to get fistacuffs don't you think?" And now, he's just backing up a tad not trying to start something as she keeps going for those punches, even as Clubs comes in, but when the new rules show up, he finds that well... "Oh come on...I was hoping for a new game, not an achievement!" He can still hold out hope something will be said to change the rules again. In the meanwhile...He'll roll his dice up once more to roll a 10.
Ishirou	Ishirou just stares at Touta, "You /just/ immediately jumped to punch a guy, and you're complaining about someone punching you? What is /wrong/ with you?
Touta Konoe	"I was hoping we'd get a different game! But ahaha, not exactly wrong! But seriously, time out! Time out over there!"
Kupot	Kupot looks around at the others, many of which are fighting, the runners of the game, than each other. His gaze travels back to Hearts. "Is the Conductor here?" The back of Kupot's mind, however, is spinning, oh yes. Is there a lesson here? Just like the pumpkin car. Does the Stained Glass teach patience? The pumpkin oneness. After watching everyone else pass through the pumpkin car, a larger picture begins to form. "Another kupo. Who tells you what to do in the car?"
Angela	Cinder says, "Sorry!" to Touta. "It's important to, y'know, listen to the Abnormality's rules." Angela considers Heart for a moment as she seems to be struggling to get up. "Mm." SHe does at least stop at 'five' swings. She doesn't make sure to hit five times because she isn't THAT bloodthirsty really. Angela says, "Ishirou." Then she starts thinking otherwise. Maybe she should really not get into this. "Cinder, warm up Heart." Cinder hesitates a moment before nodding. Rather than rolling, she makes her way to Heart and ignites 4th Match Flame and holds it near Heart. "Uh... You can... You know, you can warm up by this for a bit I guess before we get back to... Well I'm not going to seek 100 achievements, being honest."
Dysnomia	"This leaves one more card suit." Mia said, flatly. "I'm sure we'll come across it." She held out her hand toward Heart, trying to pick him up and drag him back onto the bridge. "If this place insists we play along so much, I say we pick the part we want to to listen to, and to hell with all the rest." "If I'm going to tear people up, it's not going to be because some damn club-faced loser TOLD me to." Her expression was halfway to a snarl. "And I'm not going to spent all day here looking for what someone else figured was an 'achievement.'"
Ishirou	Ishirou turns towards Angela screen, "...Yeah?" he asks, hesitant to what might be said or asked. He does turn his gaze off of Touta for the moment though.
Dysnomia	<3> <5> <1> + 0 = 9 She rolled her dice thrice, and stepped forward nine spaces.
Kale Hearthward	> "...we have to get all of the achievements?" "Ha ha - well, that's just the start! We're gonna go glitch hunting here next! I know a trick to get out of bounds, and I've been waiting to show it off to someone!" > "Well I'm not going to seek 100 achievements, being honest." "Achievement unlocked: A Heartwarming Moment! Way to grind those cheevos! Keep at it!" > "I was hoping we'd get a different game! "Why would you need a different game, when you can just obsessively complete and catalogue every intricate detail of this game - oooh, achievement unlocked, called for a timeout!" > "Who tells you what to do in the car?" "Good question. And I think a time out is called for," says a new voice, rounding the corner of the pathway further up, and crossing paths with Dysnomia as she advances. This is obviously Diamonds, though she also has a bit of a queen motif, with the crown and the robe. "A time out, because... a question for the rest of those here, before I answer your question. Have you checked their numbers?" "Huh?" says Heart, glancing at Kupot and Cinders' hands. "They - oh. They're not Passengers..." "Wait," says Clubs. "So-" "We aren't allowed to help them?" says Hearts. "We aren't allowed to fight them?" says Spades, at the same time.
Kupot	Kupot steps back up to the edge of the water to allow himself to dry. There is a little silent 'foosh' as his pants begin to do so. Perhaps if this was his first room, he would be doing a diagram in his mind on the ethics of each path and which one is morally correct. Instead, something else comes to mind. "Who made these... rooms, kupo. The Infinity Train? Does the Infinity Train spin each story?"
Touta Konoe	As the faulting finishes there's a bit of relief as Cinder finishes up, he's at least offering his hand for those last few blows, so it's almost like he's a sparring dummy at this point for her if at that. "Okay this seems a bit better." Finally the group seems to be diverting from the actions of fighting but it seems more developments continue to go as diamond comes in. "Finally, I'd take a brea--Mmm?" A bit of confusion follows as well as it comes to be made clear they aren't to be made any assistance or disruption because simply put...They aren't part of the train. "So, if there was someone in our group who was a passenger, it wouldn't be an issue though...Right?"
Angela	"...Nevermind." Angela says in that way of hers. You know the one. ''We aren't allowed to help them?'' ''We aren't allowed to fight them?'' Cinder is quiet for a long moment and then says, "Wait, really? ...Ugh the ruels here are so confusing." Cinder starts walking towards where she thinks the exit is. If there's no purpose to playing this game, she might as well just keep looking for the Conductor or BOSS but then she thinks for a moment-- "Oh. Uh." Cinder frowns. "We're hoping to find the uh. The Manager? Of the Train? Because we have notes?" She looks to Angela, who shrugs. Distracted. Cinder doesn't seem to be holding a grudge anymore though she is shaking out her hand. "Or I guess--if you can't tell us about that..." She frowns. MAybe she should go back to asking Angela about her feelings. Eventually Angela does admit to Ishirou. "I've noticed a tendency where you are quick to pounce on others for their faults." Angela asides to Ishirou. "Which I believe...you said is something you need to work on?"
Ishirou	Ishirou shakes his head and turns towards the other when Angela does not answer. Instead, he turns to focus on the new Diamond lady, well... queen he guesses? He holds up his hands, no number. "We're trying to find the conductor because the train is picking up elites, which it isn't supposed to. Also, it picks up people and grades them by number in the first place," Ishirou says. He starts walking, but then Angela finally speaks up to him. This causes him to pause, and think for a moment. "...you're right. I was frustrated at..." he pauses again, "the contradiction I see in myself a lot of the time. I jumped on him a bit too quickly I guess.." he says. "I am sorry Touta, but... please in the future think about what you say before you say it? Some things you can't take back..."
Kale Hearthward	> "Who made these... rooms, kupo. The Infinity Train? Does the Infinity Train spin each story?" "Good question," says Diamond. "We just woke up here, however many... years? Decades? Ago. None of us have thought to keep track of time." > "So, if there was someone in our group who was a passenger, it wouldn't be an issue though...Right?" "We'd be still trying to play our game," she says. "However that would turn out." > ""We're hoping to find the uh. The Manager? Of the Train? Because we have notes?" "The Conductor. Yes," says Diamond. "Heart went to talk to him once. Heart?" "Oh!" says Heart, from down on the shore. "Yes! I was curious. Little fellow, kind of two minds about things these days. I'm pretty sure he'd be willing to listen to whatever you have to say, but, ah... might not act on it?" "He needs a good kick," suggests Spade. > "We're trying to find the conductor because the train is picking up elites, which it isn't supposed to." "... Are... 'elites' heavily armed, and armored, like all of you?" Diamond's eyes sweep over the group, lingering on Cinder's EGO weapon and Ishirou's RESCUE unit, among others. "If so, I'm inclined to agree that it shouldn't be picking you up, no offense." "I don't know," says Clubs, tinkering with her scoreboard. "This is the most interesting lot I've seen come through here. I wouldn't mind seeing more of them!"
Angela	"Well as long as he listens sincerely. I'm not his boss." Cinder says. She looks at the EGO weapon and sort of deignites it. "Sorry, haha. I'm not...viooolent. I'm not!" She remembers punching Touta five times. "I'm not violent." She says firmly. "Normally. But sometimes, you know, you get into these situations..." Angela nods once to Ishirou, but she is quieter this time. She seems to be lost in thought, even well away from what's going on in this Car.
Dysnomia	"We aren't allowed to help them?" "We aren't allowed to fight them?" "This is why I don't get you...Whatever you people on this train are. It's like you're only one thing! Like the thought to maybe be different doesn't ever EVER cross your minds!" She rounded on Heart and Spade. "You've got a fucking gimmick, a purpose, that someone else set for you! And you just mindless chase it! Do you even KNOW what doubt is?! Are you understanding ANYTHING I'm saying to you?!" "The only reason everyone else isn't saying the same thing is because to them, you're all just part of the scenery, the background! But I bet that doesn't bother you at all, huh?!" At last, after a long, seething moment, Dysnomia turns back toward the path, taking in the diamond's regale attire, crossing her arms, looking up at her, orange eyes burning. "You look like you're in charge here." She spat. "I don't suppose you're any better than they are?" "... Are... 'elites' heavily armed, and armored, like all of you?...If so, I'm inclined to agree that it shouldn't be picking you up, no offense." "I wouldn't mind seeing more of them!" "Oh, it's not about us being interesting." Dysnomia seethed. "It's because we're too much for it. Too powerful. Because the train has spent so long picking up people that can't fight back, that can't do anything but work through it on its own terms. That don't have enough strength to do anything but just bow and concede to it or stay here forever." "But now it's slipped up. Because for the first time, there's a chance for fucking CONSEQUENCES."
Kupot	The Moogle turns just slightly, the optics just enough of an indication that he is looking at Ishirou. "If a computer designed life lessons, kupo, how many would have no meaning? Or many meanings. Or a meaning that didn't make sense. If it had infinite time to make infinite variations." Slowly, Kupot turns his head back, focusing on Queen, "Some of them would remind people of kupo it is like to live." The Street Sam shakes his head, a frown growing, "Maybe not. Maybe there is more. Kupo the fire of adversity itself forges steel and breaks iron." The die comes up. Kupot glances down at it, his optics, as usual, breaking down the places to hit or cut it to destroy it, measuring out the combat techniques necessary to deal with it. It does not hold a life lesson. Nothing here does. You only have what you have taken with you. And the chance to survive it. Kupot drops it to the ground and starts down the path of the board game with a short sigh. There is no escape.
Ishirou	Ishirou goes back to being quiet but nods at the 'heavily armed and armored' comment aimed at them. He also commits to memory that the conductor needs a bit of pressure to do anything. Was he forgetful or just a pushover? Hard to say... To Kupot he frowns. "That's not a very fair statement. It's not like you're with two people who are AI of some degree." He takes a breath, "Can we move on?" He also nods to Angela and then pauses at seeing Dysnomia start to get agitated. He takes a step forward towards her and places a hand on her arm. "Please calm down. If being inconsiderate was a crime worthy of violent response, the world would be a lot more painful than it already is." "I know this is painful for you, but we're here on behalf of others who are trapped here against their wills," he says, trying to be as compassionate as possible.
Kupot	A pause from Kupot, his ears lowering. A thoughtful hum, then an apologetic kupo. "An AI not modeled on mankind, but mankind's idea of a god. I did not mean to imply."
Dysnomia	Dysnomia growled, for a long moment. Oh, how small her body felt. How... "Fine." She spat, responding to Ishirou, but not looking at him. "Whatever. At least you're asking, instead of fucking commanding."
Ishirou	Ishirou sighs, "It's... wasn't meant to be a condemnation, but a reminder that words do have power and they can hurt. Those who say otherwise are... inconsiderate themselves. Just be mindful of that, alright?" he says towards Kupot. He tries to force a smile at Mia, "Thank you. I know it's hard but we have to keep trying for those people..." Well, he mostly means Kale, but it isn't like he would leave Petra here. Though he has /thought/ about it.
Kale Hearthward	> Dysnomia "What - you gonna call me a gimmick to my face?" Spade, still dripping wet from his trip into the river, draws his rapier - but Heart attempts to intervene. "We're as we're made, you know?" He says. "We have a purpose to fulfill - and that's all we really need, right?" "Is it, though?" says Clubs. "Honestly, we've been missing out, if there's this kind of people all on the outside." Diamond ignores the 'better than they are' comment because it's obviously true and doesn't require a response. To the rest, she tilts her head a bit. "Consequences, you say?" "What sort of consequences?"
Kale Hearthward	> "So, if there was someone in our group who was a passenger, it wouldn't be an issue though...Right?" "There's some specific rules for dealing with passengers," says Clubs. "Yeah, they were told to us by..." Heart pauses. "By... um, I guess we just knew."
Angela	"Why do you fulfill this purpose, to no end?" Angela asks after a quiet moment. "Have any of you just...decided to leave? ... Can you leave?" She had tried to leave well enough alone but... "I can see that you are not treated cruelly in particular but... Why do you do this? Is there an answer?" Cinder doesn't interrupt, instead looking over to Dysnomia with some sympathy in her eyes but she doesn't manage to pull herself into actually inquiring about it just yet.
Dysnomia	"We're as we're made, you know?...We have a purpose to fulfill - and that's all we really need, right?" Dysnomia had calmed considerable, but the look she gave oer her shoulder was still nearly incindiary. Or was that just the way her eyes literally burned with light...? "That kind of thinking," she said, her voice cold. "Is the kind I hate most, in all the worlds. How can you look around at your life, knowing you didn't pick any of it, that you never got the choice, and just be FINE with that?" "What sort of consequences?" "We're not the only elites looking into this place, you know." She said, matter-of-factly. "When no one can stop it, when no one can help it, your 'train' is just like a force of nature. It can't be helped. All you can do is survive. Isn't that so?" "I'm not even one of the angriest ones, I think." Her voice was quiet, now. "A train like this is just a train, to people like that. Not unstoppable. Not invincible. Not something they just have to survive and live with. And hearing people are being dragged off, held to standards they don't understand, that they don't agree with, by something that was never involved with their life..." "Even if we don't, someone is going to put a stop to this." Her tone was matter-a-fact, gaze hard. "At this point, it's inevitable."
Kupot	Kupot turns his head up to Queen, a sideways glance. Dysnomia puts it in quite an eloquent way. His hand gently grasps the katana at his hip, just under the guard. Just enough for the wooden guard to clack and bring attention to it, before he lowers it once more.
Kale Hearthward	> "Can you leave?" "We can move from car to car if we want, but it's not like we can just jump off the train," says Diamond. "I mean, they could take us with them," suggests Clubs. > "Why do you do this? Is there an answer?" "Well, what the shuffle are we gonna do, without it?" says Spade, as he gets back up onto the bridge. "Hey," says Clubs. "You've got a way off this train, right? Take me with you." This causes a lot of talk, all at once, from the other denizens.
Ishirou	"I can help everyone here get off. There is a ship nearby. I can give you all the ability to fly to it and from there we can take you somewhere else," Ishirou says, calmly. "If you want to leave, I can make sure you can."
Touta Konoe	"Hey," says Clubs. "You've got a way off this train, right? Take me with you." There's a bit of a surprised look, at least from Touta at first. It really had felt since he's been on the train, even if it's been the least amount compared to the others that they were all pretty content here. Though Ishirou's offer does at least make it seem like there'd be no issue one way or the other. To which he can at least offer up as well, "And if you ever wanted to come back as well, don't feel like it's a one way trip. Despite what some people may say uh...Tourism and a vacation isn't the worst thing around."
Kale Hearthward	"I mean," adds Clubs, pointing at Dysnomia. "She just said she's going to blow up the train." "I think she said that actually she's one of the ones who-" Heart starts to correct her. "What - do you think you can just leave, and show the rest of us up?" demands Spade, talking over Heart again. "All that aside," says Diamond, trying to get the conversation back under control. "You're implying that what we've been doing here for decades has been wrong, when we've helped so many people."
Angela	Angela, despite everything, is kind of surprised to hear it too. Maybe less so than most, because it's what she would want--it's just not the perspective she's generally been shown. Ah, but she is not the only Silent Girl out there, after all. If Clubs wishes to go... "Then we will assist in this." Angela says. ''She just said she's going to blow up the train'' Angela's expression goes deadpan. "Ah." Cinder whispers 'are you okay??' to her but Angela doesn't answer. She is in a place right now.
Kupot	The moogle nods and adds a 'kupo' of agreement. "Freedom for all who choose." A pause. Kupot stops his slow progress towards inevitability. Then a full 180. The moogle pulls out a very small heat source, and a cup. He dips the cup into the water, puts it on the heat source. He sits on one side of the small heat source and looks up. "What could you have been, kupo, were you not here?"
Dysnomia	"You're implying that what we've been doing here for decades has been wrong, when we've helped so many people." It's not her problem that Clubs is a poor listener, so she doesn't feel the need to step in. But it's diamonds who still has her eye. "How can you be so sure," Her answer was quiet. "When they're only ever let them off once they're fit to your train's standards? How do you know they're 'better,' and not just because your train says so? If they don't acknowledge that their 'problems' ARE problems, will they ever get off?" She doesn't wait for an answer. "Of course they won't. And everyone who leaves is 'proof' you're right, and everyone who doesn't is just another nobody who couldn't make the cut to breathe the same air as everyone else." "Like judge, jury and executioner all in one, with no one to hold it accountable."
Kale Hearthward	"Who handles making people better out there, then?" says Diamond. "Anyway, I want to leave," says Clubs. "I'm not letting you hog all the glory on your own," says Spade. "Um - if... everyone's leaving..." says Heart. "I don't really want to split the party like that?" Diamond sighs. "... And I can't let you three alone out there." PARTY MEMBERS GAINED!