[ST] The Tale of the Mysterious Train

[Sobi]

There is a train that runs from the Estherna Capital all the way to Bizyn City, with a few short stops along the countrside. It isn't a fast train, nor is it adavanced. It's a mere hovel of a train, barely able to match up to the prestigious trains that run along the same path. This is the 436 T9-er. A train specifically for the middle and lower class citizens of the Amethia continent. It certainly doesn't come by very often, and one usually has to wait 2-3 weeks between voyages before being able to board the next train. As mentioned before, it is a mere hovel.

And yet, to the middle and lower class citizens it is a practical tool, for it lets them travel the great distance between Estherna and Bizyn, at a price they can afford, even if sometimes they must wait for weeks before catching the next train. It's not the fact thatthe train travels excruciatingly slowly that makes the wait so long; it is the fact that it must be repaired and constantly fixed up for its next departure.

When the last train departing from Estherna to Bizyn took more than 3 weeks to arrive, no one raised an eyebrow or questioned the delay. It was an old train and it was only natural that inconvenient troubles should be met along the path. Yet when the doors creaked open and not a soul was found, it raised a few worried murmers within Bizyn. Of course, citizens still dared to make the journey to the Capital. And the same incident occured once more....

Now, the middle class and lower classed citizens are terrified of climbing aboard the 436 T9-er, and a call for help has been issued to get to the bottom of the mystery. The reward is a hefty sum of 20,000 silver pieces.

It's a matter of the unknown, where reality and illusion combine to create the twisted nightmare of whatever happened on this train. There are blood stains on several of the train seats, and the aura of dark magic clouds the cabins.

The train leaves 7 in the evening, this very evening. Inside the 1st cabin is where all those brave enough to get down tothe bottom of the mystery will meet.

Will YOU answer to the call?

[Daeher]

Rose was in the area visiting an old friend when she read the notice for help. 20,000 silver pices, divided by hopefully a small number, and that oughta pay for my next two or three trips!!!Rose was very happy with thought. So she walked up to the train and began waiting for more people to arrive.

In the meantime, she decided that she would make sure that she had everything she would need. She had gone managed to get the blueprints after she convinced the owner that she would not use these plans to blow the train up. She had about 40 arrows, but she figured tey would be useless if ghosts and spirits were the problem. ALthough she did have excorcising slips, she decided she would give them to someone who knew how to use them better than she did.

The last thing she did was pull out a blanket from her bag and a skin of water. It was cold and she was thirsty. She decided a small nap would do her well while she waited for more people.

[Sobi]

Amaranth had been in the library of Estherna looking up a breed of plants found in the more arctic areas of Melodia. Perhaps, just perhaps if she could be able to get her hands on the Iytwish; a rare breed of amaranth found in frozen areas with great medicinal properties, it might help her find a cure. After leaving the dusty archives, she trotted out of the library and then proceeded to gallop towards the Apothecary. There, perhaps they already had it in stock. It was worth a shot.

Whenshe entered the store, she grimaced. She did not like shopping for it always posed a problem. She reached into her bag and pulled out a notebook and a pen. The shopkeeper greeted her, ad she smiled in return.

Iytwish amaranth? she scribbled on the small pad. When the shopkeeper looked at it, he frowned.

"Don't got those in stock, no siree. They be pretty expense, they are. Well over 100,000 silver pieces."

Amaranth didn't need to look into her bag to know it hardly contained even 200 silver pieces. She let out a small air of frsutration, smiled at the shopkeeper in thanks, and left.

Amaranth wasn't looking where she was trodding, which was probably why she managed to walk into a pole. She let out a silent yelp of pain. Pressing her hands to her forehead to reduce the pain, she concentrated her eyes on what it was she had walked into. that was when she saw the sign about the train. And that was when she saw the reward money. It would at least be a start.

Amaranth found the train station not long afterwards. Luckily it was still early afternoon. As much as she knew she would need help to try and solve this problem, she hoped there wouldn't be many seeking the reward. She really needed the money.

She was surprised to see just one adventurer waiting. 10,000 silver pieces then... Not having much to do but wait until the train would depart, Amaranth took out her violin case and pulled out a wonderfuly crafted violin. And then, she began playing.

A soft melody slowly filled the deserted train platform.

[Daeher]

Rose woke up to a beautiful melody. She was somewhat startled to see a centaur but decided she had change to spare. She walked up to the Centaur and put 20 gold in the violin case. " You play beautiful music. Oh! Are you here for the train? My name is Rose Sharyn. You can call me Rose but I prefer SHaryn." SHe extended her hand hoping the Cnetaur wasn't hostile.

[Sobi]

Amaranth slowed down her playing, eventually coming to stop as she stared in puzzlement at the beautiful 20 gold pieces that were dropped into her violin case. This wasn't exactly what she was going for...but hey, if she was going to receive 20 gold pieces with no strings attatched, then why complain. She lowered her torso to her violin case and pocketed away the precious change that would eventually help her buy the plant she needed. She flushed at the praise received from Sharyn.

Amaranth warmly shook Roses hand with both her own, after having put away her violin. Inwardly she grimaced a bit, because introductions were always one of the hardest things she had trouble doing.

She put a plam to her sternum as if to signify she meant herself, and reaching for her notepad in her bag with the other hand, turned to the page that already had her name written on it.

Amaranth

Then pointing to the train schedule, she nodded, trying to convey that she was indeed here for the train.

Amaranth braced herself for Sharyn's probable question, after all, almost everyone she met had asked her this in one way or another. Why can't you talk? It was a good question. Amaranth wished she knew.

[drakarsepentrion]

Luna Sepentrion looked about Bizyn City with approval. This was a place of Trade, Money for item or service, value for value. This was how she lived.

She had read the adventurer wanted posted a few days ago and had decided to sign up. As a mercenary, the jobs came at random intervals, if at all. She only slightly missed her days as a knight. Then the reasons she'd left came crawling back to her, and she felt self-satisfied.

She saw only two adventurers waiting. She looked at them as she walked up the train stop, here face not moving an inch in emotion, her amber eyes, cold as steel and almost flaunting the fact that she didn't care who these people were, until she knew how well they did whatever it was they did.

She sat down and waited for the train. She looked as one of the adventurers gave twenty gold coins to the musician. She raised an eyebrow in disaproval, but looked away. A single copper piece might have been acceptable. Maybe even a silver piece. But twenty gold pieces was lumped generously into the category of charity.
Luna hated charity.

[Daeher]

Rose was somewhat taken aback. She wasn't entirely sure how to react. She never met a mute before. But she at least understood that her name was Amaranth. She had seen many mutes in her extensive travels, but she never tried to make friends with one.

When she pointed to the train schedule however, she was slightly confused. "Are you here for the ghosts?"She asked." If so, are you able to tell me what skills you have? Because I consider myself the trategist of any group."As she continued jabbering on, she failed to realize the arrival of the third female on the platform.

[Akaoni]

Vasiliki was sleeping soundly around the bottom of the metal pole, her spine crushing against it while her head was burried into her pet's flaming orange coat. Her head blended in perfectly with Spyro's mane, having the same wild and flamboyant properties.

She was immersed within the deepest depths of a blissfully numb slumber, unconscious to the world around her. Not a sound disturbed her, not a single motion irked her peaceful countenance. A few had placed their cold hands on her shoulder, but she slapped it away as an automatic reflex. She wasn't even aware of her own actions. Everything around her was dark, more of a softer grey than a deep black, completely noiseless, unfeeling, idle, almost heavenly, and ever so....

PAINFUL! She awoke with a start when something banged into the pole, and a massive ache rang through her entire head the instant her bright red eyes flew open. She abrubtly pressed both hands against her head and squeezed her eyes shut once more. Spyro awoke majestically with an equally undignified groan, followed by a careless wide-mouthed yawn, flashing his deadly white teeth out in the open. He didn't seem to care about his master at all as he smoothely uncoiled himself onto all fours and stretched his back into a large arch, giving off that imposing manner of a king.

"Stupid cat." Vasiliki moaned, still in agony form last night. As usual, she drank way to much, and was hardly surprised to find herself in the middle of nowhere, with her lion's fur hanging off her face from using him as a pillow. Feeling Spyro's foot whish right by her nose, her eyebrow began to twitch, and suddenly pounced on him, forcing him to the ground once again. "STOP SHOWING OFF, YOU PIECE OF FILTH!" She growled and clamped her teath on one of his ears. In the midst of their struggle, her back crached into the pole and a piece of paper fluttered down upon her fancily knotted head. In frustration, she fiercely swiped it from her head and almost threw it away when '20, 000 silver pieces' caught her attention. She had run out of money last night, much to her dismay, and practically had to sic her lion on the bartender for some more alcohol.

With a flat gaze, she swept her eyes along the length of the train before her. Her vision flashed from side to side, but she still managed to catch a glimpse of a forming group, right my the first cabin. She had some difficulty getting up, so when Spyro rolled out his shoulders faster than she did, she flattened her hand on his head, and used him to push herself up, while at the same time, forcing him back down.

"Ladies first." She said, though it did not turn out as playful as she wanted it to. Instead, it came out as a shaky comment. Damn, her head hurt like crazy. So much so, in fact, that even the beautiful violin playing seamed more like an excrutiating siren.

Vasiliki slapped the fluffy orange fur from her face as she stumbled over to the group, and willully let herself fall right beside a Centaur. Leaning her head against a cold stone wall, she gazed at the group out of a single, temporarily glassy eye.

Keeping the dialogue short so that she could head back to sleep, she got straight to the point. "Yeah, I'm here for the train, my name is Vasiliki, but you may call me Basil if it's too complicated for you, and that's Spyro, my 'counterpart' if you will." She roughly grapped the lion by the extra skin on his neck and forced him down beside her before snuggling her face into his mane again. The rest of the introductions could wait. For now, she had to sleep off the pain.

[drakarsepentrion]

Luna looked at the newcomer. She had a hangover, it was obvious. Luna turned away and payed no further attention to her. Since she hadnt talked to her directly, she felt no reason to reply. The animal she was with, however, piqued her curiosty, but no interest flooded into the topic.

[Sobi]

((um, drakar, it's early afternoon. just so you know, the train comes at 7 pm i kinda did that on pupose to allows people a chance to join since once the trains arrives, that's it no more people allowed in the rp.))

Amaranth reached into her pouch, while nodding at Sharyn's question of whether or not she was here for the mystery train. The centaur inwardly cringed witheach new face that appeared. That meant less and less of the reward for her. And by the Muse of Harmony, she wanted that reward. Ah well, nothing to be done but take on other comissions, assuming she could finish the job on this one.

She was so lost in her thoughts, that she momentarily forgot what it was she was getting from her pouch. She shook her head, and pulled out a bag containing dried herbs and faded violet petals, a faint smell still lingering on the dried plant. She smiled sheepishly at her new companion, and held out her bag. She reached back intothe pouch and pulled out a small vial containing a thick red liquid, brighter than blood. There was a small note on the vial which had the words Essence of Coriandreystar written in a tiny handwriting Amaranth called her own.

Herbologist

a simple word her vocal chords could not process, so here she was playing charades with the items she held dear. She tossed a vial of the red liqiod to Sharyn, for when it wasn't being used as an antivenom, it made a rather refreshing drink. She would have offered the drunkard a vial as well, after all it mighthave been able to cleansesome of the alcohol out of her, but the again Amaranth wasn't entirely willing to hand over this stuff to someone bent on self-destruction.

She turned towards Luna, her hoves make a sharp clacking sound as hoof hit pavement. She looked so sour fir one who seemed to be half her age. The centaur's mouth twisted itself in a wry smile. If she keeps looking so cold like that, she might turn into a popsicle....What is it with young kids these days?

Unable to freely communicate with anyone she had just met (if she was more than acquaintanes communication became far easier, by means of interpreting emotions and small habits in a person's life) Amaranth retreated to her own mind.

What on earth is a kid going to do with that reward money anyway? This isn't a game...She might get hurt Amaranth sighed deeply for a moment, then smiled almost shyly as she offered another vial to the human girl.

They still had time to kill, and what better way to pass it than to make friends?

[drakarsepentrion]

(Tankish you, Sobi. Did you know that Dolphin's skin is poisounous?)

It took a minute for Luna to realize that she was being offered the vial. She took out her purse and pulled out a gold coin. She slipped into the centaur's hand and took the vial, putting it into her rucksack. "Thank you."
Luna felt awkward after the small transaction. It suddenly hit her that perhaps the centaur had wanted to give it to her for free. She wouldnt have accepted it, but she hoped that she hadnt insulted her in any way. She turned to the centaur and said: "Im sorry, but just to clear things up, I dont believe in charity. That's why I payed you."
Luna wondered then, for the first time, why people thought she was sour? Truth was she was one of the happiest people on the face of the earth. She was more then content with her life and how she lived it, particularly because it was the only way to live it without completely leaning towards self-destruction.
She decided to find out what kind of person the herbologist was, she was interested in the fact that she had not given a vial to the drunk girl. She turned tot he centaur again.
"I notcied that you can't talk. Why is that? I mean, if theres another way for you to communicate... Like writing or hand language..." Her voice was certain and calm, it rarely went above that.

[paulfalcon]

The city of Ethernia was vast and prosperous, full of life and peace as the crowd of civilians walk the streets. However, for one young looking, long, black haired woman, it seemed to be a little bit too much of a hassle. "Geez, this city is huge!" she thought to herself as she stopped over to the side and took a look around to see if there was any sign that would help lead her in the right direction. "My very first high ranked job and I'm already getting lost... hmph, why must these people make these big cities so complicated? It's beautiful and all... but, still."

Her name is Trina Martel, she wasn't born in a huge city such as Ethernia so, she had a hard time figuring out where to go. From the uniform she was wearing which comprised of a small jacket and skirt which had silver linings on them and on the jacket was a symbol that represented the group of mercenaries known as the Silver Light. "Hmm.. I better ask for directions, I'm not getting anywhere fast." She said with a sigh. "And I was putting up a good front about it back in the chapel, too."

"Hey, chore girl, what are you doing dressing up so nicely for?" A younger boy who must of looked to be at least the age of seventeen. He wore black cloth pants and was shirtless, scratching at his short brown hair as he glanced at Trina. "What? You think you landed a date with Kankuro or something? You must be dreaming again."

Trina growled some at the boy's insults and snapped back at him. "Oh, be quiet, Kaz! Unlike you, who has to stay around and sweep the courtyard, I get to go out on my first ever high ranked mission!" She replied with a smile, sticking her tongue out at the boy.

Kaz blinks some and rises the broom over his head, twirling it around in disbelief and disappointment. "Say what?! Why? No fair! I was supposed to be the one to leave your butt behind while going on my first mission! This is so uncool!"

Trina giggled some at the reaction that Kaz had to her news. "Well, it couldn't be helped.... seeing to it as I am two years older than you. Who knows, I may be able to partner up with Kankuro one of these days." Trina did have a small crush on Kankuro but, most of the feelings she had for him was that she admired him for all he has done for the organization and to obtain captain class in such a short time was no small feat, either.

The boy places the broom back down and sighs, glancing over to Trina. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Anyways, just don't go getting yourself lost, ok? I know you, Trina, your sense of direction isn't much to be desired. And don't you die, either. It'd be a pain to have to go out there and pick your butt up."

Trina smiled as she placed her bag of equipment over her shoulder. "You don't have to worry about me, Kaz. I'll be fine. See ya!" She then turned away and headed her way out as the boy watched her leave.

"Sheesh, I talked so big... if Kaz would see the predicument I'm in now, he'd never let me live it down." She thought as she stopped over towards a knight who was patrolling the area. "Excuse me, sir. Where could I find the train which leads to Bizyn city?"

The guard looked to her and nodded. "You were heading the right way. Just go down a few halls and make a left.... you will be at the station in no time." the guard said. However, a worried look went over the guard's face as he looked at her. "But, I urge you not to take that cursed train... there have been numbers of incidents where the passengers were reported to be missing with nothing but, bloodstains as evidence that they were even there to begin with. So please..."

"I know... I am answering the call to help solve this mystery." Trina smiled sweetly and nodded to the knight. "Thank you for the help!" She bows respectfully to the knight as the knight did the same courtesy. She then walked off and headed towards the directions that the Knight gave her. She walked fast, not wanting to be late for the train. As she turned and stepped into the docking station, she found a few other women waiting there as well. She smiled brightly and waved while saying "Hello, everyone! My name's Trina! Nice to meet you all!"

[paulfalcon]

((Yeah, Trina is gonna be out of this one... since she's being drafted over to Amethia At Arms... ^.^))

[Sobi]

Amaranth reached into her pouch and pulled out her notepad and pen, where she scribbled the word "mute" onto it and showed it to Luna. She smiled sheepishly and shrugged, never being able to shake off that slight, tiny guilt, for whatever reason it existed. Then she put a hand to her throat, trying to signifiy that no sound could come out, even if she wished for it to.

This might be difficult, Amaranth admitted with a silent sight to herself. Aiding teammates that she knew, that she understood and that she could read, so to speak, was much easier than not having a clue as to how to interpret what was lying behind Luna's eyes. Regardless, money was money.

She outstretched her palm to Luna, a questioning look on her face. Introductions had not been made, after all.

There was still time to spare, the train was only bound to arrive in 3 hours.

[Akaoni]

Who was she kidding? She coulndn't sleep with all this ruckus. Especially when every single sound felt more like a fiery hammer. For anything louder than a pin-drop, the pain was far worse. She kept an eye poped open, observing the group through Spyro's mane... since, for the moment, that was all she could do.

She watched as the Centaur made her way around the group, tossing around this red liquid. That piqued her curiosity. Though she didn't bother standing up, since she figued she would get one sooner or later.

But the sooner did't come... niether did the later. Vasiliki watched the exchange between the Human and the Centaur. When the introductions started, she lost her patience. She gradually got to her feet, wincing at every level she raised. Once she was up, she almost fell back down. After gaining at least some balance, she wobbled over to the Centaur, her eyes focused on that pouch. Without preamble, she reached across the Centaur, and plunged her hand into the pouch. She knew she wasn't being stealthy, and she wasn't trying to cover her actions either. Such a blatantly obvious move, however, was enough to keep any normal person stupified for a few moments. Luckily enough, her fingers were immediately greeted with something smooth and glassy, which she pulled out instantly. To her dismay, this stuff was thick, green and icky looking.

Vasiliki eyed the stuff for a moment, with a dry look in her eyes. Then sheepishly smiled and carefully held out the vial to the Centaur.

"Ahem...." She started out, still sheepish. "Sorry about that, I..." She roamed her aching head for an excuse, but could only find hells fire. "Aw-screw it." She said, resigned, waiting for the Centaur to take the vial, so that she could go back to the comfort of her lion's mane.