15strangers | WEEK 1

Entry tags:

*round 5,
*week 1

WEEK 1

WEEK 1

[The train wouldn't stop. Not until very early the next morning. The few who might have been awake would be able to exit the train, entering the cool twilight of the dawn. The star is dark, and few stars can be seen in the sky as a cold breeze begins to blow from the mountain beyond. You can see some chunks of rock floating idly nearby, far away from the station that it won't hit trains, but near enough that one can see they are larger than the train they just disembarked.

Lastly, laid out in front of them, the first port of call: Menahoven. The mountain: The Throat of the World.

But which world? Who knows. Not any of yours. Maybe it doesn't matter. Not when you are so far from home. Not when you have no way to get off this rock without the aid of the trains-and they will not let you pass.

It looks like you're stuck here until the Conductor decides to leave. In the meantime, everyone will need to get comfortable.

There are fifteen strangers left in this place.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Caleb has set out the things he has found - minus the feather and head crescent - in the lounge. The coffee gets a strange look from him - he would prefer Clay's tea right now, honestly. He's currently playing with the knife, and there's a hint of bandage on his arm sticking out from his coat.]

[He raises the knife to the durian, and then sets it aside. It's a nice knife... maybe it will fetch a good price. No sense in using it to cut the smelly sock fruit.]

Edited 2019-07-17 20:51 (UTC)

Oh!

[ Tali eyes the durian rather enthusiastically, giving a small smile before running her hand across its bumpy exterior. ]

I wasn't expecting to see another one of these so far from home...

What is it? I do not think I have seen something like it before.

A veritable taste sensation. The dark prince of fruits, ready to defend his title from all challenges.

[She's going to notice you don't want to use that knife and fetch a rather large one from the first dining car's mess.]

It's a bit of a slog to cut it, but...

[And she brings the blade down with a swift strike, splattering some juice in the surrounding area and releasing more of that noxious stench as the fruit opens. She's clearly probably used bigger blades on bigger, more mobile targets before, but Caleb is probably going to be the person least surprised by that.]

Edited 2019-07-17 21:20 (UTC)

[A fighter, then. He moves back as she brings down the blade, not wanting to get in the way. The smell doesn't bother him, so he just... waits for her to finish.]

[ Aaaaand it's open! Revealing a cross-section of yellow flesh inside; there seems to be a clear separation between this gross-looking rubbery sort of flesh and these nuggets of edible-looking fruit flesh encasing a large seed. ]

A couple of the other girls back home would gag whenever one of these was cut open, and I admit it's a bit of an acquired taste, but... I personally find the texture to be exquisite.

[ She'll pop one into her mouth, chew, and swallow, before sticking her hand in and ripping out another piece which she promptly hands to Caleb. ]

Here.

[ Make a Constitution saving throw. Or don't. ]

[He shrugs.]

I don't mind the smell. I've smelled worse.

[He takes a bite of the piece he grabs from her hand. Huh.]

It's pretty good.

...I'm frankly surprised it emerged from the baggage claim unscathed. From what I'm told, they don't travel particularly well.

I take it you're from somewhere with a more unforgiving climate?

It varies, depending on where you go... but I've had periods of time where I was on the road without much other than the rain to wash me.

[So. You know. He's smelled worse.]

Is that so? I heard that if you're not careful, I've heard that mushrooms can grow right out of your skin.

[ She is...attempting to tease? She is making joke. ]

I've never had that problem, fortunately. I have had some shoes get moldy, though.

...I understand not everyone has the means, but if I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to make a mess of yourself.

[Because ew.]

I didn't for a long time, but there's also the fact that people pay less attention to a filthy man than a well-off one.

(no subject)

dragonmouth - 2019-08-03 17:08 (UTC) - Expand

[did someone say knives

Well, Ris has taken up residence in the lounge, for now, and so she's coming back to maybe rest her eyes for a moment when she sees Caleb playing with something. It glints slightly in the lighting of the room, and that's enough to grab her attention and get her to wander over and inspect it further.

And upon that further inspection...]

Ah!

[She recognizes the knife the minute she sees even the smallest glimpse of its handle, and soon enough she's all but dashing toward Caleb.]

I— where did you find that?!

[She doesn't sound accusatory, just... breathless. Perhaps even a bit relieved?]

The luggage car. It came out with the coins I found. Is this yours?

Yes!

[She almost looks like she could cry.]

Please... may I have it back? I have been going mad without it...

Of course.

[He folds it a bit clumsily and hands it over.]

Be careful with it...

I will!

[She says that hurriedly, taking back the folded knife and clutching it to her chest. If Caleb's listening, he might notice her whispering to the thing.]

Ah, I've missed you... I'm so sorry, I won't let you out of my sight again...

[Well that's. Weird.]

If you see any books come out of the thing please let me know? I am missing several of mine.

[Caleb, you're a dirty hobo who has to roll will saves against fire. How about the pot doesn't call the kettle black?]

—Ah. Of course. It is the very least I can do.

Thank you very much, for this.

[How about shush, knifegirl.]

You're quite welcome. Hopefully you can wield it better than I can... I very nearly cut myself.

[I'm just saying, we ought to be calling ourselves even.]

You need not worry about me.

[As if to prove her point, without even really looking, she shifts the knife into her right hand and flips it open, then closed once more.]

This is the one thing that is truly mine, so I have learned very well how it works.

I should recommend, should you find yourself in the possession of another balisong in future... there is an unsharpened spine to the blade. That is the part you can safely flip into and rest against your hand when opening and closing it.

I did figure that part out eventually, but it took longer than I'd like, so the tip is... ah... appreciated.

[A Bengal cat bounds over towards the pair and meows at Ris.]

Ah, Frumpkin. You are back. Good.

[A tiny smile.] It can be difficult, to start with. I hold no judgement.

[But oh! A catte! Ris kneels down to put herself a little more on Frumpkin's level, offering her non-knife hand for sniffing.]

You have received a cat as well? There have been so many roaming the train now...

[The catte sniffs her hand and nuzzles it, purring.]

He's my familiar. Someone else found him, but returned him to me. This is the form I usually have him in, unless we need him to be a bird or an octopus or something.