Event: Doom Train

[plungeintofire]

WHO: Allen Walker, Belle French, Flandre Scarlet, Gale Reinhardt, Koishi Komeiji, Mayu Nozaki, Papyrus, Remilia Scarlet, Sakuya Izayoi, Silicon, Sousuke Kuze, Ted, Uai
WHAT: Characters receive a mysterious boarding pass for a ghostly train in Everglade. Where will it lead? And how will they get home when the fare is only one-way? All aboard the Doom Train!
WHEN: August 18th - 23rd
WHERE: Everglade - Doom Train


It was a foggy morning in Everglade, and the air was cool and humid. The creatures of the night had slunk back to their hiding places, as the more humanoid citizens began to emerge from their homes to go to work, run errands, and pretend that they weren't simultaneously relieved and terrified to have survived yet another night.

A train whistle pierced the air with one long, haunting note. The living citizens didn't seem to pay it any mind, though one or two might have noted the goosebumps that suddenly prickled across their flesh and wondered briefly why they felt a sudden chill in the month of August.

But the train whistle meant a great deal more to those who hadn't survived the night. Silvery forms rose up from where bodies (or what was left of them) lay, dressed in their best clothes, and followed the sound of the train whistle as if their name was called specifically. One by one, they passed through the town, heading north. They passed through the wrought iron gates without flinching, following the broken stone road that led into the woods where mist pooled across the frosted grass. Near the murky swamp, an enormous, sleek, black steam engine waited, churning puffs of white smoke from the engine car. The ghostly passengers lined up, ignorant of the living who had also come to redeem their tickets to board the Doom Train.

There was no sign of the ghost who had delivered the tickets. However, there was definitely a ghost present, the face hooded in shadows as it hovered near the gates to check the tickets presented and usher passengers aboard. The features of the ghost were impossible to make out beneath the layers of tattered white fabric that moved as if churned by a strong breeze, and every now and again two pinpoints of light would flash where the eyes might be when it turned its head just so. None of the dead passengers seemed to register any alarm at the ghost's presence, calmly submitting their tickets before stepping aboard.

When the living handed over their tickets, there was a brief moment of deep-seated dread when the ghost looked at them directly, but other than that moment of shiver-inducing cold, they were admitted just as calmly as any of the others.

Once aboard, characters would find plenty of storage space for their luggage. The interior was warmly lit, and surprisingly clean. There was no dust, no cobwebs, not even the occasional spooky guttering light. They were assigned a cabin number which they would share with three others (ghosts or not) with sleeping bunks, where a curtain could be drawn for privacy. Beyond the sleeping cars there were plenty of seats where one could sit and gaze out the windows which were all cool to the touch. There was a dining car as well, though what a ghost would want to eat was a mystery indeed.

After everyone was settled in, the stairs leading into the train were drawn up, and the train gave two long, lonely whistles before it slowly pulled out of the station, churning slowly down the tracks and into the misty woods beyond...


[OOC: Please refer to the sign-up post if you need a refresher on what the event is about! Sign-ups are now closed!]

Comments

[plungeintofire]

[The fierce beams and Uai's rewriting magic do well to blow away large chunks of debris. A few more attacks like that, and the tracks might be cleared before the trains hammers through.]

[Though there isn't much reaction from Karuto with the rocks and wind and energy, it definitely didn't like having its fire power cut down. Another swell of heat ripples through the train, as it seems Karuto has found at least one person to succumb to the feelings of utter damnation. Belching fire surges out of the furnace, filling the front half of the car and spilling out of the open windows, before it snaps together in laser-like focus and intensity.]

[It sweeps from left to right, searing easily through someone's body like a hot knife through butter if they don't get out of the way, as it moves toward its final target: Silicon. Whether she's able to leap to safety by diving off of the train entirely, or a victim of the incineration beam, either way it's the end of the line!]

[prismaticdestruction]

[Flandre keeps moving, weaving through the flames and perks up at Koishi's comment. The spell card is cut short as she frowns. Distraction play didn't work. Oh well.]

Worth a shot at least.

[With that she grips her weapon tighter, ready to take a strong swing with it if Karuto comes near the group. If she can't be fully offensive, she can play defense for now.

The rocks were her next option but really isn't wanting to use her ability just in case she over does it!]

[koishi_komeiji]

Koishi sensed the shift in the room and changed her strategy accordingly. She continued to do her best to buffer her allies from the fear and despair, but she also focused on Flandre. She worked to refine the younger vampire's focus and-

The world seemed to open up. Flandre was so very aware of everything around her. Koishi wouldn't be able to keep it up forever, but, for now, the 'eyes' of objects were bright and clear for Flandre.

"I've got your back!"

[namemeansbeauty]

[Belle kept Frillish close by in case she needed to use it's abilities, but she was also checking which of the others she currently had might be of use too.

She knew Magikarp was out mostly because...Splash right now would be useless, so it was not necessary. Soon she picked out Sandygast of all of the Pokemon mostly because of the fact that well... it's sand, that might be of use and would she would hope do well against fire.]

Sandygast, use Iron Defense and if people want shelter from the heat for a moment to get behind him, okay. He might be able to protect you for a short period.

[scarlet_devil]

[ Remilia, too, is able to avoid getting hit by that beam, but some were not as quick. And now? She was trying to hold it together, but... there were more than a few things that she was now ashamed of doing 8n her 500+ years. Even if only to survive.]

[nrgsvr]

[ Mayu is further away from Karuto than Silicon. He avoids the worst of the heat. There are still more windows to open, so he uses the oven mitts to do so.
]

You are all stronger than me! You can fight off these mental attacks!
Getting past this challenge is a way to atone.

[ Yelling that out helps him deal the guilt from five years of not accomplishing anything. It's also quite an effort, because he generally doesn't like to talk. Hopefully, it helps others snap out of the hellfire effects.]

Anyone need anything from the kitchen?

[corpsacorps]

[Silicon's wail was enough to distract Gale from the fight, snapping his head to look back at her- what the hells did that thing just do to her?!

Not that he could stay distracted for long, being close enough to the flames that he was getting plenty of burns for his troubles. Then the concentrated flames meant split second decisions, and now Silicon was in no condition to fight. Gale could only hazard a guess that she was about to be targeted.

No you don't, you voidsent bastard.

It meant getting a hair away from the fire, but he wasn't about to care about his own skin now. With a back flip, he displaced himself from the fight and ran straight to Silicon's side. There was no immediate cover, which meant there was only one option.

He grabbed Silicon and leapt from the speeding train, turning his body so that he could shield her from the inevitable very rough (and likely very painful) landing. He didn't care. She was not getting hurt under his watch.

Which also meant the train was now down one Warrior of Light.]

[ubiquitously]

[Some of the rocks do crumble. Uai is relieved that at least his modification formula has worked, but that relief is short lived. This demon is still a threat, both with its emotional guilt magic and those stupid laser beams.

He knows that he can't count on Papyrus to handle all of the rocks. It isn't quite fair to be limiting his magic use to only "under the table" tricks, that no one is likely to notice. Everyone else seems busy, but he calls out anyway:] Some more help with the road block would be nice!

[Uai has to think fast: Weakening the rocks with one mental formula, then using another less subtle spell. The kind of spell that creates small explosions along the rocks, working to break them down into harmless dust before the train can crash. If they die by traincrash then it'll be really embarrassing.]

[immortalsoul]

[Silicon is so overwhelmed that her paid icon time expires, leaving her with some ill-fitting icons. Sry, Fam.

Her eyes go wide with shock when she notices the beam coming her way. In an instant, Silicon is brought back to the real world. Her spinning, guilty thoughts freeze and she stares, horrified, at her present. That's right. She's lived many lives before, but this life is the most important right now... And in her daze, she's failed to protect it. All of her friends' efforts to keep Silicon from experiencing death again are about to be wasted...

So it's with equal shock that she responds to Gale's rescue. Silicon cries out in confusion. They're falling and she imagines him getting hurt for her sake, which results in a new guilt. Sili holds on tight to Gale and cries out an apology. As they yeet out of the train.]

[cool_skeleton]

[Thank goodness for Koishi's magic shielding; Papyrus may not have weathered the fiery assault so well otherwise.

The rocks still weren't cleared!? Well, there's plenty more where that came from! As they drew nearer, Papyrus summoned more and more of the skeletal effigies. Weoh, PWAAH. Lasers upon lasers burst in succession, illuminating the way with great flashes of white.

Seems they were left with only Flandre and Remilia to attack the furnace directly. Where was Ga--oh.]

ALCHEMIST!!!

[Again, he's bad at getting names. Doesn't mean he isn't concerned! Well, Gale did his rescue. Now he has to do his for everyone else. When Mayu yelled his bit, Papyrus snapped out of his worry to think of more brilliant strategies.]

INSTEAD OF THE KITCHEN, MAYBE GO TOWARDS THE FRONT CAR!?!? TELL THE CONDUCTOR TO SLOW IT DOWN, AND THAT HIS FURNACE HAS GONE FREAKING CRAZY!!!

[Not that whoever ran this thing seemed to like them much, but it couldn't hurt! Probably!]

[plungeintofire]

Flandre has nothing to worry about, thankfully (???), as the demon isn't leaving its furnace for anything. The powerful heat it radiates made the front half of the train look as if it's rippling, hot sparks fluttering and dancing through the engine car. Belle's Sandygast looks uncomfortable, even though it's a ground type, but the Iron Defense helps it to weather the heat.]

[Karuto chuckles confidently, the flames appearing to leer through the banging grill of the coal chute as it watches Remilia start to succumb to its effects of making sin felt so keenly. Then Mayu shouts out to brace his allies, and that burning smile flips to a sneering frown.]

ATONE? For what you've done? What makes you think you deserve atonement? What makes any of you think you're worthy? Your mistakes will cling to you, an eternal filth that can never be washed away! HA!

Before it can finish its tirade, Gale is moving, and willingly fling himself off of the rampaging train to save his companion from harm.]

[The heat of Karuto's flames drops several degrees, and for a few brief moments, the crackling fires are dampened enough to allow the coolness of the night to filter through the open windows. A selfless act...why...? Unable to comprehend an act so kind, Karuto is temporarily vulnerable.]

[koishi_komeiji]

Now's their chance!

Koishi's eyes grew brighter, the little youkai wincing momentarily as a headache threatened and she had to close her left eye as she focused.

Psychically she redoubled her efforts, using her power to help her companions recover from the feelings of guilt and sorrow that Karuto's influence had created, also reaching out to try and guard the pokemon.

She wouldn't be able to sustain it for long as she had spread herself fairly thin by doing this, but she didn't have to. She just had to help the others enough to take advantage of the situation!

[prismaticdestruction]

[If anything, that focus kept Flandre where she needed to be and she could really see what was there. A grin forms as she can see the daemon hesitating but her focus needed to shift for the time being. She reaches out to grab as many of the rock's "eyes" as she could to crush them, trying to clear the path so anyone else could focus on Karuto for now.

She's hoping that this wouldn't be a bad idea but..she's been wrong before!]

[cool_skeleton]

[Karuto has clearly lost his demonic mind. What mistakes has Papyrus ever made? Besides boarding this train. And being unable to moor the ones thrown off the cars.

Okay, a few mistakes; the latter stung especially. What kind of Guardian can't protect people from all this nonsense?

Thankfully, Koishi gives his mostly-spotless conscience a soothing pass, and now he can focus on ending this nightmare. His eyes dart back and forth between the enemy and the oncoming collision. Those rocks look as good as gone, or near as he can tell. Okay, time for a dramatic speech. talking is a free action]

IT'S ABOUT TIME SOMEONE PUT THE BREAKS ON YOUR BAD BEHAVIOR!!! THE GREAT PAPYRUS SHALL PUT A WET BLANKET ON YOUR HOTFUL HORRIBLENESS, AND THIS WILL BECOME A STEAM LOCOMOTIVE!!!

[The puns make him die a little inside, but that's better than the outside. All those lasers really tired him out, so he'll call on his second legendary pokemon to do his cleany work. Out comes Tapu Fini, the clamshell mon with absolute mastery over water.]

SURF'S UP!!!

[That's its cue to usher in a local tidal wave of aquatic fury. Take that, evil!]

[scarlet_devil]

[ Remilia is able to shake off the effects of this demon or whatever it was power, and starts firing many bolts of exploding energy at the rocks. Duck Duck Bat is... kind of spectacular.

Now? She's pissed, and will unleash hell (or rather, Gungnir) on the entity the second the tunnel is dealt with. ]

[nrgsvr]

The spirits that brought us here. This is a new life for us.

[ Mayu really is outclassed. The effect of selflessness doesn't escape him, but he can't think of a way to take advantage of that. He has no way to directly affect it. He's an ordinary powerless human. He's not good and friendship and love speeches. He has no strategy. He can't use judo on a possessed furnace.]

I'm nothing special but everyone else here is admirable. They all went out of their way to help strangers.

You don't even know us, Karuto.

[ No honorific for horrifying manipulative demons.]

You're just generalizing and projecting.