ROUND 5 MODIFIED TEST DRIVE

[strangerpeople]

15 STRANGERS ROUND 5
MODIFIED TEST DRIVE MEME

That's right! It's that time again, for a new mock...test...moctesdriek...Modified Test Drive Meme!

Wait, what? I hear you ask. Why not just have a mock week and a test drive? Well, there is a reason, and...well, we were thinking about making a mock week, but unfortunately we realized a full mock week would unfortunately be impossible to make properly in the limited time we have. So, we have a this instead, a test drive with modifications that come from a mock week, including:

So to start, the OoC FAQ page for Round 5 can be applied on the whole to this Modified TDM. We also have a few other things to point out for this Modified TDM:

A full mostly-unique-to-the-TDM map! Yup, you guys get a slightly different map from Round 5, just for this Test Drive! A unique TDM-only NPC! Yup! This NPC will only appear in here for your NPC needs! Though how helpful they are is debatable... One item per character/Item prompt! You have the choice of having your character will find that one de-powered item has come with them!...somewhere on the train. Use this item to your advantage for the prompts below!

And with that, welcome...to the HML Vespertine!

THE SETTING There are 15 strangers in this place. Someone knows why. And its clear the odds are stacked against you. Also, you're on a train. Choo choo.

Yes, you are looking at this right. But this train is more than just a mere train. This is the pride and luxury of a nation. This is state of the art, especially for a train that looks to be from the turn of the century, with gold trim striped by black, wood paneling, velvet plush chairs, and nary a bump as they ride along. However, there are strange signs and anachronisms of a more futuristic civilization that lurk within the inner workings of the train. The few phones in the train are more akin to what one would find in a modern office, the bedding in the cabins are memory foam, flat screen televisions dot the lounge, and a rudimentary network of a sort exists to print things from special cuffs that can also take rudimentary, and tiny, instant photos. The entire train is also powered by electricity.

Every train window is fitted with thick, color-stained windows, which seems to block the light from outside, giving inside of the train a purple-red glow when the lights are out. It also makes it difficult, if not impossible, to figure out what is flying past outside.

Hence, it is a luxurious prison, but for the Strangers, it is still a prison. And who knows where it's taking them...and what might await them when they get there.


LOUNGE



The lounge is the caboose of the train, and what a caboose it is. It is akin to a sitting room in a mansion, with soft, plush, velvet chairs, couches and chaise lounges, decorated with crocheted pillows. Flat televisions dot the room, which can be summoned from or hidden behind the panels with a single button. Likewise, a great theater screen and projector can be summoned through sliding wood panels, though the movies for both TV and projector are all silly romantic comedies, and all in black and white. Likewise, the few books that are on the shelves are the most banal works that could be found in English, and those that could be considered classics seem...different. Truncated, even.

And let's not talk about the records for the gramophone. They are all classical, and a majority of the work is German and English from the turn of the century and before. Though some sound weirdly familiar...but, at least there's complimentary booze and cigars! Though not all varieties of alcohol are available for some reason, but hey! Free alcohol and deathsticks!


APARTMENT CABINS



These are first-class rooms, with memory foam beds and soft pillows. Every room has a dresser set that also conceals a television and phonograph within. There is turn-down service every evening on beds. No mints on the pillow, but there is a complimentary tea set with leaves that are refurbished each day for everyone's personal tea needs.

Oh, and the good news: you also get complimentary towels, because there is a shower here! The bad news is that it's a communal stall at the end of the hall, and the hot water tends to run out quickly if people don't get there early enough. Bummer.


DINING CARS



The dining car has two levels-first-class and second class. And wow there is a difference. Not that the second-class car is bad, on the contrary. Though the meals aren't as sumptuous as they are upstairs, it's still incredibly good, and something you'd get at a hotel. The mess on this level also tends to be open all the time for cooking, so if anyone wants to make food, it would be best to do it here. Just remember the meal times, especially if anyone wants someone to cook for them so they don't have to!




Up a spiral staircase in the dining car is the first-class dining-and you can see the difference immediately. The first-class level is luxury itself, with each table appointed with linen tablecloths, napkins, and sumptuous plush chairs to settle into as you eat. And these dishes, brought out from a full kitchen, aren't just amazing, they are three course banquets fit for a royal, and an amazing tea service that is second to none. They are also only served at appointed times, so if you want to have any of this unbelievably delicious-albeit somewhat exotic, as the menus will show-food, you're going to have to get to the car on time!


ARMAMENTS CAR



What? It's perfectly normal to have giant shooty shooty weapons of death in plain view for passengers (well, ok, behind movable wood panels and with slides on the floor to move them to their respective windows, but still) to use! The only downside is that these guns point outwards, so if anyone wants to use them, they will have to wait until their victim is outside the train. Though, it doesn't look like you're going to be let outside of the train, so boooo, what's the point!?

The weapons are:

B - A machine gun! Pew pew pew! Unfortunately, this thing doesn't have much range, and gets really hot, really fast. Ten shots in and you could fry an egg on the barrel.

Z - This weapon pops mines out of it and to the outside world! Which is pretty handy, especially if you need to have a timed attack. Just aim and shoot, and wait a few seconds for the fireworks to begin! Just, you know, don't walk over the mine yourself.

V - This weapon looks like a sniping contraption. It's got a good range, and you could probably aim it pretty far. And-if you're looking to cause some trouble-fire it and get the hell out of Dodge before anyone comes back to look for you.

T - Uh...this weapon is a chain gun that shoots out...explosive...glass bullets. And...really, that should be enough to know that anyone who is wielding this weapon is not messing around.

W -This weapon is-well, we don't know, because no one is allowed to use it except the Conductor. No one can even move it. Given how terrifying some of the other weapons are, just what the hell kind of weapon could this be if no one is even allowed to touch it?


LOCOMOTIVE CAR



There are several rooms that are accessible in this car, strangely enough. Not all of them. The bridge is especially cut off to you, so don't bother trying to get in.

But you know it's there.

Engine Room - Yeah, no one's allowed in here except for crew. And just to make doubly sure, there's actually a card reader that you have to have a card for to access this place. How does this place have the technology for card readers!?

Conductor's Cabin - Of course she gets the best cabin in the whole train. And of course, she's not going to let you in unless you have a really good reason. What, do you think her having an office is just a suggestion? Don't be so crass!

Office - Well...ok, this is odd. This is a decidedly more modern-looking room than any of the others. Despite the fact that it looks utterly out of place with most of what's on the train. True, you can schedule a visit or just hop in quick to talk to the Conductor, but seriously, what the hell is going on?

THE PROMPTS 1. ARRIVAL Well, it seems you have awoken on a train. Why are you here? What happened to your powers? Your memories? Who else has been so unlucky as to be brought in with you? What are you wearing? What are these strange rules? And--where is the Conductor, anyways? 2. POWER You have been, er, "blessed" with a power. Its not a power you want or care for, but its yours now. You might want to try an control it, lest you hurt someone else. That is...unless you want to. Or, hey, go ahead and blow things up - as long as you clean up. 3. HOME So now you live on a train! Maybe living here forever won't be so bad, since there are things to do with your free time. Unless you're looking for a way out, but surely, you wouldn't do that, right? You should read a book! Or or play a game! Or...watch a movie? huh?? 4. FOOD Holy snow crabs the food here is amazing. You know those 12 course meals that are fit for a king? They serve that here! You don't see who is serving you, but...surely...surely they're just invisible. That weird skittering sound is just in your head! 5. YOUR ITEM You know you had an item with you before you woke up here. Probably lots of items, depending. You're going to find it if it's the last thing you do. Or maybe you're already found it, and you want to show off what your item does. Or...hey, someone else has your item! What the heck, they need to give it back! 6. CLUES Oh heeeeell no, you're not taking this whole "you're on a train and everyone's going to kill each other probably" lying down. You're gonna find a way out of here! You're going to search this train from top to bottom until you figure out a way to escape! Who knows...you might find something that could help 7. MOTIVE Oh, great, the Conductor has announced the motive for the week. Clearly someone out there really wants to give you a reason to kill someone else. How will you react? Will you stand against such an insult and help others to fight the temptation? Or perhaps, you yourself are tempted...? 8. DEATH One of your own has died - no, been killed. Definitely killed. The Inquisition has started. The body lies before you, as does the evidence, and now you must discern the truth from the clues before you. But can you when you mourn? Or, perhaps you don't mourn the dead. Perhaps you're only playing along because you know more than you let on. Or maybe you're just a robot. Steampunk as a concept has robots, you never know, it's possible. 9. TRIAL Well, it looks like the Conductor wasn't lying when they said there would be a trial if someone was murdered. So now you're here, in the Lounge, looking to condemn the responsible killer among the smoke of cigars and the stench of booze. If you do figure out the culprit, they die. If you don't, well, you'll end up killing an innocent person, as the Conductor has explained what would happen if the majority votes incorrectly. Whatever happens, you have to figure out what happened. Can you? The clock is ticking! 10. SCAPEGOAT Oh dear...the Conductor just revealed that the person everyone just voted for...was actually completely innocent! Not only that, but they've revealed who the real culprit was! Maybe you're that innocent person, trying to say your goodbyes or beg for your life. Maybe you're one of the ones who voted for the innocent person, trying to cope with the horrible act you've just committed. Or maybe you're the true culprit, who now has to not only deal with an innocent dying for your actions, but also the fact that you can now be killed without repercussion!... 11. WILDCARD Anything not mentioned above. Go wild!

Comments

no one wanted this guy. no one at all

[fuckthisspiceinparticular]

1. nani the fuck desu ka

[The Duke stumbles out of his apartment, making it over across the hall and propping himself up against the wall as he looks around in utter confusion.]

What in the name of the Goddess...

[Where the hell is he? He could have sworn just a second ago he was looming above those rats, ready to finally claim his place in history, and now...

But is that really true? That's the last thing he remembers, but there's something in his head telling him otherwise. It hurts to think too deeply about it, so he elects to ignore that line of thought for now. There's something more important than any of that, anyway.]

What are these clothes?! Do they take me for some kind of pauper?!


3. could live without the roommates tho

Tch...

[Duke Cayenne is gritting his teeth as he flops back into a seat in the lounge, crossing his legs and tapping his foot impatiently. After a moment, though, he sighs, turning his attention to whoever might be nearby and just starting to talk. Clearly, he assumes they care about whatever he has to say. Doesn't everyone?]

Well. I can't say it's entirely up to my standards, but I suppose given some of what they've so kindly "gifted" us, [Cayenne are you seriously still salty about the clothes] we're lucky for even this meager luxury.

[Where the fuck did you come from that this is meager, Cayenne. Why are you the way you are.]


4. at least they got THIS part right

[For the first time since he's gotten here, Duke Cayenne actually looks pleased as he looks over his veritable feast. He claps his hands together cheerfully, just about beaming down at it.]

Ha ha! Now this is more like it!

[Why the fuck are you used to this. Who let you have nice things.]


5. fucking EXCUSE you

[Well, a bit of time has passed, and someone has unfortunately wound up in the possession of a rather garish feather boa. Even more unfortunately, this has not escaped the notice of one (1) Duke Cayenne, who is now stalking up to them with a scowl.]

Excuse you. I do believe you're attempting to make off with one of my possessions?

[Of course he's immediately assuming they're trying to steal it... of course he's immediately assuming anyone else would want it...]


7. in which this honestly takes no effort whatsoever

[All throughout the motive, the Duke stands quietly at the back, a hand to his chin in thought as he looks to the conductor with a strangely blank expression. It's like none of this bothers him at all.]

Hm. You do realize most would consider your price a little low for what you're asking, don't you?

[He doesn't really expect the Conductor to answer him, and it's probably telling that this is his biggest concern in all of this.]


10. please chuck duke cayenne out of the train

[Welp. The trial's come and gone, and somehow you all fucked up enough that this guy – your real murderer, shocking absolutely no one given how callous he seemed at the motive – is still standing and someone else is going to the gallows in his place.

He's got a smirk that stretches ear to ear, every inch a horrible, smug little snake.]

Well, well. Don't despair too much! I am ever so sorry that it had to go this way, but of course, there was no way any of you stood a chance against my genius. This is simply the way things have to be!


11. purple monkey dishwasher

[Hit me with your best shot! I'm available on Discord at needlemouse#1681 or at needlemouse for plotting!]

10

[tookittoeleven]

[Probably the worst part of it all is, Usagi had been in the minority of people who had voted correctly.

She shuts her eyes, turning her face away.]

No...you're not sorry. Don't pretend you are...!

5

[telecosmetic]

[Eliza will basically try anything at least once. So that's why she's wearing the boa around her neck now. She blinks at the angry man as he stalks over.]

...sorry? I didn't know it was yours. I just wanted to see what it felt like...it's pretty comfy.

[She likes the feel of the feathers. Also of possible note is that she happens to be carrying a scythe taller than she is.]

10. the prophecy is fulfilled

[unwittingking]

[Honestly? King did vote for Duke. The guy was smarmy and seemed like the most likely person to kill. He tried to convince the others, but sadly that didn’t go to plan.

So, now that the guy is just going to be...this, it’s time for him to actually take advantage of his small size.

While this idiot is monologuing like a super villain, he’ll try to stealth his way toward him and just. Straight up try to bite his ankles.

He is just a new level of pissed right now.]

10-Congrats, the NPC is having an Emotion

[adollnomore]

Unfortunately your words are nothing compared to your actions.

[The tone is quiet but not because of the meekness of the young woman but holding back another emotion. ]

Now that you have escaped judgement, would you like to hear what you have won?

5

[illusionarymelody]

[So Vita has done her best to avoid the Duke, mostly because she knows that about five seconds in his presence would lead her to attempting murder... again. Now she knows very well that it likely won't end quite as poorly as her last attempt, but she would prefer to at least wait for a decent motive and put him to good use.

But when she gets a rather familiar looking feather boa, she just can't resist the urge to go burn it.]

No, I'm putting it where it belongs. Into the trash. [And with that she smiles.]

1 let's be honest, everyone who wants to suffer wants this

[responsinobility]

...?

[There's something unsettling about Duke Cayenne being the first familiar face he encounters. But thus far it's slightly alieviated by the satisfaction of seeing him so utterly disgusted with his new clothes.]

Duke Cayenne.

[There's nothing happy about the meeting. But it's a "greeting", nonetheless. One stiff enough to not be disrespectful but not forced enough to seem cordial.]

I almost didn't recognize you.

King - Housepets!

[unwittingking]

1. why

[He just wanted a nice night out. A night where could actually relax instead of stressing about this thing or that. A night where he could watch a movie and be with Bailey and just have a little peace of mind.

Instead? He wakes up in a train car-a very nice train car, but not one he was planning on being in-with no idea on whether or not he’s close to home or if the others are in danger or even just what’s going on-

But! He will...try not to lose his cool. He will not panic or do anything stupid. In fact, he will be leaving the apartment he’s in and walk in the direction he believes the steam engine is, determined to talk with whoever decided to bring him into this.

...it may be hard for some of the others to take him seriously, though, considering he’s a corgi that, somehow, is anthropomorphic, actually 2 feet tall, and he’s still dressed like he just walked out of a steampunk convention.]

5. Please

[So, entire situation is a mess. Stuck on a train, forced to kill each other, and it doesn’t even seem like it involves Pete, Dragon, or Kitsune. He is out of his element for sure.

To make matters worse? They decided to make a freaking game to try and find his wedding ring. His wedding ring. Is nothing sacred anymore?!?

So for quite a bit of the day, he’s just going to be searching the train. Tossing cushions off couches, looking under chairs that he can fit under, even looking around the armaments car. He doesn’t care if it does take him all day. He is not losing his ring.]

8. MMMMMMMMMMMM BAD

[That

That certainly is a corpse

That is in front of him

King is just standing there for a solid minute, staring at the sight in front of him. A dead body. That has a kitchen knife sticking out of its chest.

After standing there like an idiot for so long, King puts his hands over his eyes, grits his his teeth, and lets out a pained sigh.]

Why does this stuff always happen to me...

[Yeah, uh...don’t mind him just panicking a bit as he goes to a corner of the room. It’s perfectly fine.]

5

[charmingheroine]

[Well, at least Charlotte's not the only one who's lost something. At least, if the way the... corgi-man is practically flipping this car upside-down in every way he can reach is any indication.

She does hang back a bit, but only because she doesn't want to startle him too badly when she speaks. Not if he's under a chair.]

Have you - no, nevermind that, would you like me to check what's higher up so you don't have to make a second pass through?

Jusis Albarea | Trails of Cold Steel II

[responsinobility]

1. why did it have to be a train

What the...

[Not only is this not where he should be-- he's not even wearing what he should be, and the things that he should absolutely have with him without question are nowhere to be found. None of the reasons for which all of these things would coincide are pleasant ones. But not only that, it would seem he's not alone.]

Halt. Introduce yourself.

[The person in question is wearing garments similar to the ones he's been forced into so he has no reason to immediately suspect them of playing any part in this, but there's no room for foolishness. Not until he has his ARCUS unit back and can confirm the location of the rest of his classmates.]

5. what's it got in its pocketses

[His classmates remain the question first and foremost on his mind, however-- certain items that are no longer on his person that remain paramount to any hope he has of reuniting with them are not terribly far off either. He intends to search every inch of this place. If they're still on this thing, he's going to find them.]

That's--

[There's no questioning it. The strange item that the other person was holding was his ARCUS unit. He recognized the Quartz set inside it perfectly.]

That would belong to me.

[If you'll just give it back then this will be fine. He'll only use force if he has to.]

6. we're gonna need a plan

[None of the conventional exits are going to do them much good. Even if they could just walk out, there are probably measures in place to prevent their escape. Running off without much of a plan would just be a suicide mission most likely.]

If we want to put a stop to this ridiculous charade, then we're going to have to do something about this train itself. If we can put it out of commission, then we should have our opportunity to get out of here.

[Which means they need to find a way into the engine room, if they have any hopes of stopping this thing from the inside. It's certainly not an easy task, however--]

If you have a better idea, be my guest.

11. wildcard

[Literally anything else. Let's do this.]

6

[tookittoeleven]

Maybe we can try and put something between the wheels? Maybe have it go off the track?

[Dangerous, yeah, but...]

Has anyone been able to get under the train yet?...

Mithos Yggdrasill | Tales of Symphonia

[eternaldivide]

3. let's play with guns

[ mithos has no choice but to make this place his home, but it doesn't mean he has to enjoy it. or rather, he hasn't found a way to enjoy it yet. what exactly is there to do on this "train". talk to people? nah he's not... exactly comfortable with anyone here.

he finds himself in the armament car inspecting the guns. he can't use them to shoot inside the train, which is kinda stupid. you can't use them as weapons to kill unless you get your victim to go outside. but on the other hand randomly shooting out into the field is ... a thing that can be done.

at least for someone with nothing better to do.

so here he is, shooting the guns randomly into nothing. maybe someone will walk by and get shoot let's hope not... ]

4. eating is a thing apparently

[ despite all the food that is there to be eaten Mithos finds himself just playing on the food he has on his plate. he's not really that hungry? but eating is a thing that needs to be done if he wants to live so he's just kinda ... poking at the plate.

honestly he might end up just wasting all this precious food. surely they have more of it elsewhere. but for now he'll just ... looks like he's having the most terrible day while his meal gets stabbed to pieces. ]

5. where's my flute

[ if there's one thing he was certain he had before he arrived here it was his panflute. but he hasn't been able to find it anywhere while searching the train. eventually he does find it, though it seems to be in another person's hand.

okay, time to ah ... try to get it back. he walks over to them and gives them a small smile. ]

Excuse me, I believe that's my item you are holding. Do you think I could have it back?

8. oh well that happened

[ death in inevitable in this place, isn't it? as it is with basically every life. mithos looks at the corpse probably longer than deemed necessary before turning away. he looks ... a bit pale? is he okay?

and yet--]

So ... what do you think?

[ at the whomever was closest to him. he doesn't sound sick, at least ]

11. Wildcard

[ hit me up with anything! you can also hit me up on discord (ash#0522 or plurk (demonfang) for any plotting you wanna do!]

8

[charmingheroine]

I'm not sure yet. I mean, it's one thing to read books and see illustrations, it's another thing to use those memories to figure out what happened....

[Charlotte's concerned, but it's an absentminded sort of concern in her voice. If she let too much in she wouldn't even be able to talk, she's sixteen, how is she stuck doing police work on a train from hell?

She does glance over at Mithos, after staring at the body for just long enough to start feeling slightly unsettled, and makes a little distressed sound at how pale he's gone. Her instinct is to check to make sure he hasn't somehow spiked a fever, and she does that with the back of a hand against his forehead.]

Well, you're not too warm, but you're not usually that pale. If I had a notebook and a pen I'd have you take notes while everyone tries to figure out what happened, but... for now, just sit down and make sure I don't miss anything obvious, okay?

[She still has no idea he's anything but a normal kid.]

Atsushi Nakajima | Bungou Stray Dogs

[whitemoontiger]

[ Arrival ]

[ One minute he’d been arguing with Akutagawa in the tunnels - as far as he could remember, and now? Waking up in a train car was more than a little disorienting considering Atsushi had never been on a train in his entire life. Then there was the weird clothes he was wearing, to which he took no time in taking off whatever extra stuff he didn’t need, meaning when he walked out of his ‘room’, he was only wearing the dress shirt, vest, belt, pants and boots.

Part of him wanted to panic because this was absolutely not normal. He had surely hit his head or suffering some kind of delusion. Was this that Fyodor’s doing? So with a bit of hesitation, he headed down the hall with determination written all over his face. ]

Akutagawa? Dazai?? Kunikida???

[ Probably wasn’t gonna find them but hey. He had priorities. Find anyone he knew first and go from there. ]

If someone’s there, please answer me!


3. [ Home ]

[ At some point after he’d realized his friends - and reluctant co-worker - weren’t here, he’d taken to exploring around a little which meant him ending up in the Lounge car. He moved to press a button that stood out from the car itself, jumping noticeably when TV’s began appearing from behind wooden panels.

Something which had him feeling a bit reluctant before making to approach them. ]

...This is strange. Why do the TV’s look so out of place compared to everything else? I really don’t get it…

[ He’s mostly talking to himself with a grimace, trying to make sure things were safe before sitting down to watch anything. ]


7. [ Motive ]

[ The first thing to note is that Atsushi has gone absolutely pale, but in contrast to that, his expression is twisted in shock for only seconds before warping into something inherently enraged. ]

You come along, trap us in this train a-and just expect we’re going to murder another person just because you threatened us?! We’re not as weak as you think we are!

[ Is he scared? YES. Though he is gonna do his best to hide this, showing instead his anger over the fear itself. He doesn’t want to lose the small family he has back home, after all. ]


9. [ Trial ]

[ None of this sat well with him and yet he was still here, but the most notable thing was that there were times when Atsushi seemed paler than usual. Wringing his hands or not completely looking at anyone longer than he had to, usually casting his gaze on the floor which he had been for the past couple minutes before looking up.

He’d never been in a trial before, but this was impossibly nervewracking; moreso than he’d expected. Someone should probably say something to him before he spaces out more than he already is. ]


10. [ Scapegoat ]

[ There was a moment where he just stood there, blind-sided by what was revealed to them all. They’d voted wrong. An innocent person was going to die. A sick feeling welled up in his stomach before Atsushi raised his head and he composed himself as tall as he could, a fire in his dichromatic hues when he turned his gaze to the Conductor. ]

They’re innocent. Take my life instead so they can live. Please!!

[ Self sacrificing as usual. Even if the thought of death terrified him, he wanted to die if it would save an innocent person who didn’t deserve it. ]

10

[responsinobility]

...

[There's something familiar in that self-sacrifice that puts Jusis ill at ease. Even if it's obvious the other is scared, it's just as obvious that he's serious right now.]

And? Are you going to tell us that you're the one responsible?

[Because he highly doubts that. But then... maybe he's thinking too much of that other person, but-- he doesn't believe Atsushi would commit the crime they've been working together to figure out, even if they failed. He's just as frustrated as anyone. But--]

[biddentodance]

[to starve is to hate is to kill is to sin]
[First class dining? Ohhhh, yes. There is no downside, as far as he can see, to enjoying this luxury, so he will. He's digging in with all the excitement of a kid in a candy shop with a fifty dollar bill.

...wait. that pile of dishes next to him...

Has he really eaten six courses already?!]

[like a rat inside a maze, gotta get gotta get get away]
[No. This.....situation can't stand. Dead tired as he looks, Minato isn't resting - he's walking methodically through the train.

Gone is the dazed and sleepy demeanor, replaced by something resembling a soldier on a battlefield. He's working his way through the lounge, running his fingers around the edges of each window in turn.]

Has to be something....somewhere...

[that's not a story I was meant to survive]
[Minato had been silent for the first ten minutes or so of the trial, had said it was alright to vote for him. He knows his own worth. And he knew how suspicious he'd looked.

But he also knew his own innocence. And the Conductor knew it, too, and announced it, after the vote.]

Ah...

[So this is it, then. He'll die. But then the Conductor announces the true killer, too, and Minato's eyes find that person. Someone he'd trusted. Again, he trusted someone he shouldn't have. And someone else, someone innocent, someone who never should've been here in the first place, died for his negligence.]

.....Deserve this, then.

[It's a quiet statement, perhaps only audible to those to either side of him. But he's still looking at the killer. The person he's about to die for. And there isn't an ounce of hatred or even anger there. Just tired resignation, and a heart aching for a life lost and hands bloodied.]

[tookittoeleven]

No...!

[Clenching her fists. She heard it, being next to him.]

NO! There has to be a mistake! We know who did this, it wasn't you, Minato-san!

You don't deserve this!!

Scary Burnman | My Hero Macadamia

[blazeblue]

[dos]

[ Right now, Dabi is just standing here, leaning against the wall of the hallway, staring at his right hand. Ice crystals of all sizes are clearly visible floating above his palm, forming, cracking, and fading away into mist, the air around the scarred man a deathly cold. He can't quite remember why, but for some reason... ]

...This feels ironic.

[cinco]

[ Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, you seem to have found yourself in possession of a studded leather jacket. Judging by the man staring you dead in the eyes at the moment, face full of burns and staples, this is not particularly good for you. Even a neutral expression on a face like that is an intimidating glare. ]

I believe you have something of mine.

[ocho]

[ Oh, look. A body. Or at least, it looks like a body. Hard to tell when it's face down like that.

Dabi gives it a good kick, just to check. No reaction. No signs of breathing.

Definitely dead, alright. ]

Huh.

[ And on that note, he shrugs indifferently and carries on about his morning routine. ]

[once]

[ SURPRISE ME ]

Jacket

[telecosmetic]

[Eliza looks surprisingly unintimidated despite all the burns and scars.] Oh, this is yours? [She's been trying to figure out how to carry it without poking herself, but holds it out anyways.] Thanks for letting me know. [And she's holding it out to return it now.]

Rika Sugawara | Collar x Malice

[killallmen]

Arrival;

[Right as everyone is waking up, neighbors of room six will briefly hear a woman shriek. Waking up in a strange place, in strange clothes... well, who wouldn't take that pretty hard?

After that, though, the room is eerily silent. Perhaps its inhabitant is too frightened even to move. A good neighbor would check on her, surely?]

Power;

[the profile she was given states she can change a target's thoughts into a text message that, naturally, prints out from her bracelet device.

so that's interesting. she'll just be in here, printing and ascertaining Threats. ...and maybe she'll shove them under the doorcracks if they're particularly disturbing or amusing. They also have names attached.]

Food;

[Unfortunately, she needs this to Survive. So eventually, she is here, an enormous snow crab on a plate before her, where she is attempting to crack it open as delicately as possible. And jumping nervously whenever she hears skitters. Eventually, she just snaps at the walls.]

W-Why... why won't you show yourselves!? [...How about that? For someone who has tried to be as silent as possible, she can be pretty damn loud.]

Your Item;

[Once the food has revitalized her, she musters her courage to start searching the whole train for her item. It is very important to her, after all... both because she treasures it, and because she could be in serious trouble without it. But she can't seem to find it anywhere... help her find it?

Then again, you might have found it. It's a thick collar, made out of metal, that seems to have some kind of internal mechanism (although it would be hard to tell without activating it, and there is no way to activate it that you can tell.) It also has a cute little pendant as though it were the tag for a cat's collar, but this is definitely large enough to go around a human's neck. If she sees it, she will gasp, but not say anything at first. Especially if whoever found it happens to be male.]


Death;

[SHE'S DEAD, JIM. Rika Sugawara is dead. I came here to voice test, not pretend to solve murders]

Arrival

[telecosmetic]

[Here, have a worried teenager pounding on the door.] Hey! Are you okay? Did you fall or something?

Eliza Owens | Pokemon OC | MGRP/WtL CRAU

[telecosmetic]

Arrival

[Eliza tosses and turns in her sleep, unable to get any proper rest-and when she wakes up it's pretty clear to her why.]

What the-not again. [With a sigh, she stands up, taking in the room and noting her new outfit. She frowns a bit at the restrictive skirts, before slowly opening the door and heading out.] Now what's going on here..

[She'll wave over anyone she sees.] Hey, did you just wake up here too?

Power

[Eliza blinks when she waves a hand and darkness comes spilling forth instead of the illusionary images she expected.] ...what? [She waves her hand again, slowly trying to figure out just how much she can control it-it seems to act more like liquid than a substance she can manipulate into shapes, though she does manages to make a few geometrical forms before it seeps to fill the space around her again.]

...huh. [Also, she later figures out she can see through it. Useful, maybe?]

Food

[Man, this stuff is rich. Eliza actually ends up only taking a few nibbles of the fancy first-class food.] Is this...really what rich people like to eat? [She sniffs the caviar suspiciously, before taking a lick.] Bleah.

[Later on, she can be found at the kitchen, carefully cutting up various vegetables. She'll wave at anyone who comes by.] Hey! The stuff up there's too fancy for me, so I figured I'd make some simple vegetable soup. You want some?

Item

[Eliza is holding a giant scythe with both hands, staring at it. However, her expression is surprisingly warm.] Zack...

[Later on, she can be seen still carrying it around with both hands, though she occasionally props it up with a single hand to just lean on. She has a wide smile on her face, and handles it with delicate care as she strolls around. Care to ask her what's going on there?]

Item

[zackthekiller]

What?

[Hey, sis. Zack wasn't paying attention for a moment, but that weapon ya found isn't exactly subtle.]

Woah... Where'd you find my scythe?

Caleb Widogast | Critical Role

[katzenpfote]

5. Item

[He's put in a number of coins and gotten a lot of useless items, but finally a cat smooshes its way out of the baggage claim.]

Frumpkin!

[He snaps his fingers and... nothing. He frowns and his eyes go blank for a second... also nothing. Huh. But the cat wanders over to him anyway and leaps up onto his shoulder, scarfing around the man’s shoulders and purring. He visibly relaxes and pets the cat’s fur.]

There you are... don’t scare me like that...

[He starts muttering in something that... sounds like German? It might be German. It's fantasy German.]

8. Death

[Fire. Of course it had to be fire. Caleb sets his jaw for a moment and then pushes his way past people to enter the charred bedroom. He heads over to the corpse and leans over it.]

I suspect this was not magical means... the flesh is cooled significantly and I would suspect that this occurred four hours ago.

[He'll continue on in this vein if someone lets him.]

10. Scapegoat

[Caleb should feel worse than he does. He committed the murder, of course he did, but he has to get back. He and the rest of the Nein have to find a way to stop this senseless war, and the rest of the group needs him, if only for his knowledge of the Assembly and Academy.]

[Right?]

[And they might or might not forgive him for what he's done - he'll confess what he did to them, of course - but Nott, for one, would never forgive him if he didn't try to get back.]

[His face twists into a grimace as it's announced that he was the killer. He just stands there in his regained coat, tugging it slightly tighter around him. Is he actually listening to what anyone else is saying? Maybe. Maybe not.]

5.

[charmingheroine]

[THERE IS A CAT!

However, there is also a man. The cat is on the man, who is speaking -

She is on a train and that strange man is speaking German and - ]

I should have known one of you would be tied to that... so! Tell me, are you actually with their government or just the Thule Society?

Rantaro Amami | Danganronpa V3 | Lockdown CRAU

[whatsmytalentagain]

1. Not. This. Again.

[Okay, this is getting stupid. First Monokuma, then Fayflower, and now this? He's lost memories again too, though at least he thinks it's not anything important this time... Just his old Ultimate talent(s) and Apprentice of _ title. Again.

He's frowning at the cuff attached to his wrist, right where the fitbit was. Is this thing supposed to be some kind of steampunk version of a tracking device? No, he can take it off... He tries typing something in...

Well, you'll find him making his way to the lounge where all the printers are and discovering the one paper that says HELLO. Just his luck. He decides to print one more thing off the cuffs and sets his on one of the charger. Taking this paper (plus a small stack of blank pages) he stands next to the printer and holds up his message:]

Hi, name's Rantaro Amami. I can't speak. Does anyone have a pencil?

[... What? He managed to make himself go mute in the last killing game he was in...]

2. Items and clues.

[At this point, he's already found a blank notebook from Fayflower with a mechanical pencil hooked onto the spiral. This will make communication a lot easier, he thinks, though maybe he better look into learning actual sign language...

That's actually not his top priority at the moment. Right now, he's going to go into the armaments car and checking out the weapons... Huh. So this is a sort of military car? He's looking over the forbidden weapon, trying to figure out its secrets...]

3. The Motive~!

[Are you kidding him right now?

The motive is "revive one person from the dead for every person you kill." As someone who has dead loved ones, he realizes how tempting this is. At the same time, he's already written up this warning to hold up once the conductor has left.]

Don't do it. We don't know if these people really can bring back the dead and they're clearly trying to kill off as many as possible.

4.WILDCARD!
Ello, total newbie just testing the waters here. If you want to plot something special, hit me up at nyanka.

[killallmen]

[Rika is in the printer room to see if her ridiculous sounding power would really work. She has been pretty pointedly trying to avoid talking to people, but it's a little harder to fake out of it politely if the conversation is literally held up in front of her face... so she reads this paper, smiling blandly.]

Even if I may have had a pencil before, I woke up here with nothing of mine. [and her smile tightens after that. She is still pretty unhappy about the implications there.]

If that's what you came here for, why not search the room...

Towa Herschel | Trails of Cold Steel

[overworker]

1. now arriving at the destination you never set

[While everyone else is slowly waking up around her-- one tiny girl seems to be still sleeping soundly. The grain doesn't seem to be keeping her awake in the slightest. In fact, this might be the most peaceful she's rested in some time.

Try to address her simply and you'll only get some mumbling.]

--'gelica let go... don't do that here...

[Her voice is soft but uh.

What.]

4. all i want for christmas is a few extra inches

Just a bit... further...

[If you missed dinner by some unfortunate turn of events, you might have tried the kitchen yourself. Upon entering though, you're not the first to arrive. Towa is up on a small step stool, trying her best to get to one of the higher cupboards to access some manner of ingredient.

Short people problems.]

7. this is what we're here for

No...

[It's hard not to be shocked when you're given a very straightforward bribe to kill one of your companions. This was messed up, but she never imagined it would go this far.]

Everyone please, I know... I know this is scary, but--

[What can she do, right here right now?]

I'd like to call a meeting in the lounge. We're not going to get anywhere on our own and no one should be alone right now at a time like this.

11. Wildcard

[Any and all of the above, we're here for the pain.]

4

[whitemoontiger]

[ There's a small pause after Atsushi entered the kitchen, and then another as he took in just what was going on. At least before he shook his head and walked over, clearing his throat. ]

Um... if you'd like, I can help you get whatever you're trying to get.

[ He couldn't help it. That and he was just too nice to let things go the way they had been. ]

Zack | Angels of Death | MGRP CRAU

[zackthekiller]

1. Ariv- Zack, no.

[What's that thumping sound? Nothing in particular, just a bandaged dude wearing this with an opened vest and no apron slamming his body against the window.]

GRh! GRRH!! STUPID! ASS! TRAIN! I AM NOT DOING THIS SHIT AGAIN! LEMME OUT!!!

[He slams his body against the window a few more times before he starts feeling the pain. Jesus, this would have been a lot easier if he had that magical girl shit or a weapon...

Fuck it, he's gonna grab a chair and start dragging it to the window. Someone try to stop him.]

2. FOOD

[Whelp, Zack wore himself out trying to brute force an escape. He hates everything. He's gonna stumble over to one of the dining cars to brood over some half assed food-]

Huh? [Except what's being served to him is the fanciest shit he's ever seen. It's... Steak? Is this what real steak looks like? With sides and everything? He cautiously cuts off a piece and takes a bite. Munch, munch...]

Holy shit... This food is fucking amazing!

[That's right, he's never had anything so luxurious in his life! Which means he's scarfing down that steak, and the salad that's going with it. Yeah, he's pouring steak sauce into the salad. What are manners? He even tries the booze, though he quickly spits it out because it's too bitter for his tastes...]

3. Stuff

[... Oh right, this is a death train. Maybe there's another way out? No doors to the outside, though...

But he did find something under the seats.]

The fuck is this?

[That's your item he's manhandling. Please take it away from him before he breaks it.]

4. Scapegoat. (CW: Assault)

[Zack is, surprisingly, not the culprit. As murderous and dumb as he is, he actually knows better than to just kill someone in a situation like this just because he didn't like the look on their face. That's how he almost survived last time...

But he's not the scapegoat either. He's glaring daggers at the true culprit, gritting his teeth as their identity is revealed...

And then he snaps.]

GrrrrrrRRRRRRHHHHH!!! [He gets up, rushes over to the culprit, and forcefully collars them.] THERE'S NO WAY IN HELL YOU'RE GETTING AWAY WITH THIS YOU MOTHERFUCKING LIAR!

[He is definitely trying to knock the culprit down. He is clearly trying to beat this person to death right in the middle of the lounge, in front of god and everybody. He isn't even thinking about the possibility of getting executed himself. All that's on his mind is revenge.]

Wildcard!
[Yep, put two people here because I'm a bit indecisive. If you want to do something special, hit me up at Nyanka]

2

[telecosmetic]

[Eliza's gotten used to simpler fare in the Meadous, but seeing Zack enjoy himself is enough for her. She doesn't even mind seeing him dump steak sauce on salad.]

Save some room for dessert! I bet it'll be just as good.

Charlotte Aulin | Castlevania: Gallery of Labyrinth/Portrait of Ruin

[charmingheroine]

4 - Food:
[Don't mind the girl young woman sitting by herself at a table on the First Class level of the dining car and seemingly having a religious experience of some kind - or do, she's not exactly being subtle about how delighted she is by the steak.]

It's so much better when you know it didn't used to just be paint!

[...wait, what?]


6- Clues - LADIES ONLY:
If we all woke up here in clothes that aren't ours and none of us knows how, then there's a chance we were all drugged, isn't there?

[She's blushing, which is not the sign you may think it is, ma'am. Charlotte's not officially spoken for, but she's got her eye set on a boy back home. But here and now she's blushing, and fidgeting a bit nervously, and plainly has another question...]

I've checked every part of myself I can actually look at, but I can't see everything. I know it's a lot to ask a stranger, but would you mind checking my back for me? For needle marks, or maybe something that looks more like an insect sting, or a bite.


8 - Death:
I'm... I've never had to do this, but I've read extensively about mur - about causes of death.

[Someone else found the body. Found the person she knew. She's not as soft as - that silly boy she knew the name of before she woke up here, where death is concerned. She isn't nauseous, she won't flee. She knows things about death, she's read plenty of things about what happens to bodies in the hours after the soul leaves. Her hands aren't even shaking as she double-checks for a pulse she knows she won't find, and then turns - the body's hand over to check for blood under the nails.]

Well, we know the murder happened less than four hours ago, if I can do this without breaking anything or straining.

here comes a lady

[killallmen]

[thank god, someone else who is actually concerned about this... although Rika wasn't about to let anyone search her, so. She'll raise her hand hesitantly.]

I also think it's important we find out. Thank you for volunteering.

Protoman/Blues | Megaman Classic

[notthebreakman]

1. Arrival

[Protoman was not a happy camper at the moment. His buster was nonfunctional, he was wearing human clothes that appeared to have been designed by someone who had only the vaguest idea of what Victorian fashion was actually like, and he appeared to be on a moving train, destination unknown.]

Alright, think this out. How did I get here? There was that debacle with the Cossacks, then… then…

[He staggers as dizziness sweeps over him. Realization leaves him trembling with terror and outrage, a sense of having been violated. Someone or something has tampered with his memory banks. Protoman can’t access anything that had happened shortly after Wily’s fortress had burned for the fourth time. He couldn’t even tell how much time he was missing.

Okay, new priority: find whoever was responsible for this and make them regret it. To that end, Protoman pulls himself together (though he knows he’s only delaying his inevitable panic attack for now) and storms out of the tiny apartment where he woke up and out into the hall.]


5. Your Item

[Really? Was making Protoman scour the train for his shield entirely necessary? Bad enough he can’t shoot any incoming threats, but to deprive him of his chief defense as well?

Okay, to be fair, apparently everyone who’s stuck on this train alongside him seems to have lost something or other. It would be irrational to act as though he had been singled out by whatever forces were at work here.

...But it’s his shield, dammit. And he’d really like it back.]


8. Death

[That… that was certainly a dead body.

Outwardly, Protoman maintains a poker face, though a slight tremor in his hands betrays his inner turmoil. The First Law is currently screaming at him to do something about this, to stop it from happening again. The best way to accomplish that is to figure out who the murderer is. Let the others call him unfeeling if they will, but if Protoman can use a coldly analytical mind to solve the case, then so be it.]


10. Scapegoat

[No. No. No!

Bad enough that someone has already been murdered on this train. But Protoman will be damned if he just sits back and lets another innocent victim die here. Realistically, he knows the odds are heavily stacked against him. He has no weapon, he was forced to leave his shield behind in his room, and there are most likely a lot more enforcers of this so-called justice than there are of him. Really, all Protoman has to his advantage is the fact that his body is more durable than the average human’s.

He’s still going to do everything he can to try and save this poor soul.]

5

[tookittoeleven]

Huh...this sure is a weird body board....

[and then there is this doofus

wobbling precariously on top of it as she stands on it while it’s face down]

...I still don’t know what this hole is for...

Cardia Beckford/The Conductor-NPC Interaction

[adollnomore]

Meeting the Conductor

[After some time where the new residents of the train have made their introductions, a feminine and quiet voice speaks over the intercom telling them to meet in the lounge. When everyone has done so, the door on the opposite side creaks open and reveals a young woman, quite possibly early adulthood age. By the way she carries herself, she seems to be a bit different than the Strangers as she strides down the walkway. Like everyone else, she too is dressed appropriately and doesn't take a misstep despite how damn weird it looks. Like seriously.

But the strangest part that despite the scene of everyone else having woken up in a weird place, she does not seem to be taking any pleasure in the position she is in. Right?]

Thank you everyone for coming when I asked. Welcome to the HML Vespertine, I do hope that this ride will be a good one for everyone here. I will be your Conductor for the duration of the trip. You all more than likely have questions for me and I will do my best to answer them.


Office Hours

[Sometimes you just want to speak to the weirdo who is running the crazy train. Just knock on the door and see if she's there. But anyone will take note that when she does answer, she's not wearing the grand outfit from the introduction but rather a simple look.]

Yes? How may I help you?


Bridge

[The Strangers may not be able to get in but they will be able to see her step out from the bridge, sighing quietly as if she has something on her mind. There also appears to be some sort of paper in her hands but she tucks it quickly in her pocket. But then she will look up and notice you of all people coming over.]

Oh, were you looking for me? Sorry I wasn't in the office this time.

[Wait, did she apologize for not being at one place and be like an actual person? Holy shit.]

Bridge

[charmingheroine]

[First things first - before the door closes, was any part of the bridge itself visible?

But that's not the only thing Charlotte's curious about...]

I should have asked before, but will we be picking up other cars, or are the fifteen of us really your only passengers on this run?

Hugo Fact | Ys Origin

[squishymage]

1 - What is technology?

[So Hugo being a typical young man from a rather ancient time definitely hasn't seen a train, a TV, or really anything here besides the most mundane stuff. However, he's the sort who is not going to be satisfied not knowing what this stuff is, so he's trying to figure out how it works.

Except he accidentally turned up the volume really loud on a TV and it's playing some steamy scene in a cheesy romantic comedy. Help the poor guy make it stop? Or at least turn the volume to normal levels where the whole train can't hear it?]

2 - Why that of all things?

[So Hugo was definitely looking around for his stuff. Those are rather valuable artifacts of Ys, after all. Plus maybe if he can find one he can get back one of his abilities. That and if what was said was true about the murder thing, he'd really like his protective gear and wand back.

Of course his luck would have it that the only item he sees is a ring with a head on it that looks rather demonic in nature and someone looks like they might be about to try it on.]

You shouldn't put that on. [He tries to say this calmly so he doesn't have to explain what that is. Especially not in a place that wants people to murder each other.]

3 - Let's try and figure out this power and maybe escape?

[So Hugo ended up with a weird power of being able to make solid objects pliable, but it only works about 10 seconds before the item goes back to normal. Well, that's not stopping him from trying to see if he can use it to get one of the exit doors open.]

Maybe if I practice it more it will last longer.

2

[katzenpfote]

[He might have looked like he was about to try it on, but he was really just examining it closely. He looks up at Hugo.]

I am not about to put on a strange ring without being able to cast Identify. I am not quite so foolish.

Thousands of years late, but! Kantaro Ametani | That show where he busts a nut over parfait

[sweetsknight]

Lounge
[ You'll see a bespectacled man with a stoic expression on his face examine the various creature comforts in the lounge, stumbling upon the free booze and cigars before leaving them where they are. He seems more... slightly concerned, but if there's any reaction he's having at all, he's doing a good job of keeping it in.

If anyone bumps into him or otherwise interacts with him - he mostly keeps to himself - he'll start off with: ]

...sorry. Sorry. But- do you have any idea where this is?

Dining Car, First Class
[ During dinner hours, Kantaro is in one of the fancier dining cars, taking in the surroundings with some level of bewilderment and curiosity. For the most part, he seems like any other sorta-stiff person who found themselves in a strange train earlier that day, picking at his food and trying to make sense of everything.

And then there's the creme brulee and jesus fuck this is a religious experience, and anyone who's nearby can see him drift into oblivion as his eyes roll back into his skull-

Kantaro Ametani is de- no wait, he's coming back, he was just being weird. ]

What is this thing you call "foodgasm?"

[notthebreakman]

[Proto Man's just kind of lurking in the dining car with an untouched shot of espresso and nothing else. Honestly, he has no real reason to be here other than to observe the other "guests" of the train and assess potential threats.

So far though, everyone seems to be in an uneasy stalemate. Well, with no concrete information so far, it makes--aaaaand the gentleman with glasses seems to be having an episode of some sort.

By the time Proto Man is out of his seat and heading toward the "victim," however, he's already recovered from whatever his deal was. Well.]

Are you... alright?

Nakari | OC

[coralroot]

Dining Car, Second Class
[ Okay, she had one look at the fancier of the two dining cars and decided to get the HELL out of there. Now she's here, sifting through the ingredients and looking on with some amount of dismay when a lot of it is shit she doesn't recognize.

Things she does recognize, and has assembled into a pile: a bag of rice, some bananas, different types of seafood? She may be frantically searching the pantry now, and as she holds up a bag that says "COCONUT" and has a desiccated white mass of confusion to your face, you can hear her grumbling: ]

The crap am I supposed to do with this?!

Item
[ ...okay, she was expecting her glaive, but if the live fucking tiger-striped piglet is what she finds here, that's what she finds here. She gives the tiny beast an affirming pat on the head before trying to show him around, and-

First of all. 1: pigs are highly intelligent creatures. 2: Despite this, they are also agents of chaos. So now you have a 5'2'' girl chasing a small piglet around the train, screeching after him. ]

No no no no no no no wait BUKOI I SWEAR TO ALL THE GODS IF YOU BREAK SOMETHING-