GBG Session 21.5: The Long Road

<Darkling> Ka-chunk. Ka-chunk. Ka-chunk.
<Darkling> That is pretty much the only noise you can hear as you speed along in the train that is ushering you towards the UN base.
<Darkling> You've been on it for nearly four hours now. Most of that has been through dark tunnels with only black outside of the windows. For a few brief periods you saw daylight and the snowy wastes however.
Rasia stares out the window enraptured, anticipation swaying her butt from side to side when there is only darkness, while alertness freezes it like a pointer's tail when new terrain appears.
<Darkling> You're in the same train you took to the environmental dome before from the looks of it. Lit has been reading away at some large tome on a leather chair.
<Darkling> The only thing out of place is the four large bodyguards, two at each end of the cabin.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja has been quietly sitting for much of the trip, giving the nearest available window a fixed stare. She's been smiling the whole time. It's a happy smile, alright. Like there's a helpless Jotun on the ground and Null Vier is about to finish it off. Still, there's something awfully vacant looking about it.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> The Aryan sighs and turns a page in his book on theoretical physics. Considering what an AT Field is capable of is it all that theoretical anymore. He even has a pen, circling portions on the chapter about the Dirac Sea theory.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "It's different doing it like this." Lahja says in an absent tone. "I'm not sure if it's interesting or not."
<Darkling> According to Lit, the trip should take about nice or so hours, if there are no delays, by train. Then you get to board the ship to head to the UN Dome.
<Rasia> Rasia on a ship. Good lord they'll never get her wound down.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Another turn on the page.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja slowly turns her head from one side to the other. She hasn't really come out of that daze or whatever it is yet. "What are you reading?"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Theoretical physics. Some of these may be applicable to the AT Field...with enough power."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Good to know. Maybe one day we'll get to chop off Jotunparts like how Corrin's Aesir got its legs chopped off."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "What I'm talking about is an ability to bend space and time...leg chopping has little appeal in the face of that."
<Darkling> "Leg chopping still has some appeal." Lit snorts.
<Rasia> "Lamb chop?" Rasia finally zones in.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja ponders that for a while. "Kind of like what extreme gravity is said to be able to do? I guess that is a lot more interesting." She's already thinking of a Jotun getting stretched out in ridiculous ways and swirling down the cosmic drain of a black hole. Veeeeery sloooowly.
<Darkling> "Lamb chops are definitely appealing." Lit agrees.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Or perhaps the 'Anti-AT Field'...as I like to call it. Not a terribly creative name."
<Rasia> :3 She starts digging in her bag, producing a baggie of bacon to tide her over.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> The boy pauses in his reading to tug at his shirt collar in an attempt to cool himself off.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "I'd like to have a look at that book sometime later." Sure, a lot of it will go right over her head, but what doesn't might just be daydream fodder.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "You might as well have a look now, it's getting too hot to concentrate."
Rasia gives fanning Wilhelm a try.
<Darkling> Lit sips at his drink before flipping a page. "Are you enjoying the trip so far?"
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Thank you, Wilhelm." Lahja moves over to collect the book. "It's been decent, sir. And you? Are you enjoying what you're reading?"
<Darkling> "It's interesting enough to keep me awake. The Poetic Edda."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Edda? Is that someone's name?"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "It's an accounting of the Gods and the Jotun, including Ragnarok."
<Darkling> "Yes, that. Somewhat a collection of old Norse poems and legends."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Ragnarok! Meow!" She moves back to her seat to skim through the book of theoretical physics.  "Maybe I'll read that on the way back and it will inspire me to become a poet."
<Rasia> Lahja meowing makes Rasia's head turn, and cock to the side.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "That was my old cat's name back home. I don't really remember why we picked that name."
<Darkling> One of the guards holds his hand to his ear suddenly, the first time one of them has moved the entire trip.
<Darkling> The train exits the darkness again, the light from outside pouring in.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja squints at that, partially turning her head away from the window.
<Rasia> Rasia's back to the window, her nose squished by glass.
<Darkling> The security guard comes over to Lit, whispering in his ear before heading back to his post.
<Darkling> Off in the distance Rasia, you can see a small city, not surrounded by a dome. Your keen eyes can even pick out movement amongst it.
<Rasia> "City!" She announces, tush frozen at rapt attention. Her eyes strain against snowblindness, trying to figure out why a city wouldn't have a dome...
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Ruins?"
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "City?" Lahja looks toward Rasia and the window.
<Darkling> Even Lit peers out the window.
<Darkling> It doesn't look like the city is in ruins. There's not much ruble around, but it could easily be hidden beneath all the snow.
<Darkling> There does appear to be people moving between buildings though.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Strange. I wonder if it's new."
<Darkling> "We are aware of a few settlements in these parts that people still choose to live in."
<Rasia> "Go see?" You're on a train, hun.
<Darkling> "I'm afraid we can't afford a detour Rasia, not that they would stop the train if we asked anyway."
<Rasia> Well at least she doesn't frown. She just watches it scroll by slowly.
<Darkling> There's a closer group, where you can actual make out the faces on the people as they watch the train go by. Bundled in worse for wear clothes, a few of them even hold signs asking for help or food.
<Rasia> Her head cocks, a hot breath steaming up the window.
<Darkling> One woman even appears to be offering her child to the train.
<Rasia> That doesn't seem safe... Whatever Rasia's reaction to these people, it's certainly keeping her attention.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "This is probably normal for people living outside the domes." She says in a calm tone, seeming very neutral about it. And being quite aware of her own lack of sympathy she sighs a few seconds afterwards.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Their suffering will be over soon enough." He continues trying to cool himself down.
<Darkling> The train is engulfed in darkness again.
<Rasia> She blinks, her vision adjusting, her focus broken.
<Darkling> Back to the rhythmic ka-thunk of the train.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "I'll have to imagine what it's like living out there."
<Rasia> It's lulling. Rasia starts rocking side to side in tandem.
<Darkling> --------------------------------
<Darkling> Without incident, you've arrived at the train's destination. A small and desolate area when it is able to turn around, and there is a dock. You've been unloaded, along with your luggage, and Lit is off ahead about twenty feet talking to the ship captain.
<Rasia> Almost immediately Rasia runs towards the dock, landing on all fours and staring down into the icy water.
<Darkling> It's cold, and snowing. The breeze off the ocean is bone chilling, and you can see quite a few larger icebergs floating about, though none anywhere as large as the ice breaker transport ship you are about to embark on.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "So much better out there." A sigh of relief, hands slipping into his pockets.
<Darkling> Despite Rasia running for the water, the bodyguards stay put and on watch.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja waves to the ship. "Hello, vessel. We meet again, perhaps for the last time. But probably not."
<Rasia> The Israeli looks on the verge of jumping in, but even she couldn't possibly survive an arctic sea. Could she?
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Best not to test it, so Wilhelm approaches. "I know what you're thinking..."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja runs around in a very small circle for a while before she too approaches, but runs in place. Definitely not leisurely exercise from her.
<Rasia> Caught redhanded! Rasia sits up, looking at the boy and then back down into the water.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Even you might freeze in that water."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Hypothermia is no fun. Can I ask you both an intrusive question or two? You can ask me one if you like." The cold is getting to her, making her movements very stiff.
<Rasia> Attention fixes on Lahja.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> The boy shrugs.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Remember that guy in the white suit that was with Ivy? What do you think of him?" Still running, though she's slowing to a jog.
<Rasia> Rasia ponders. Could she even remember before her little event?
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "I would suggest forgetting about him."
<Darkling> Lit seems to have finished with the captain. He walks over to the pilots. "We are ready to board.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja salutes Wilhelm. She almost seems pleased. "And number two... do either of you ever dream about someone sticking a straw into your eye and sucking out your brain? I know it's not a very practical way to eat a brain, but dreams don't always make sense."
<Darkling> "..." Lit gives Lahja an odd look.
Rasia gets to her feet, undeterred by the blowing wind, even with the highbeams on. "Boat!"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "...no, can't say that I have." He ruffles Rasia's hair and makes for the boat.
<Darkling> "Right then. Let's go, grab your bags."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja salutes Lit, then jogs off to the bags, and then the boat.
<Darkling> Lit shoulders his two bags and heads onto the boat.
<Rasia> Rasia's hot on her heels, hefting her luggage and Wilhelm's.
<Darkling> On board, Lit leads them to their quarters. Rooms smaller than the train cabin they were in, a bunk in each. "Wil, you'll be rooming with me tonight." He explains.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Very well."
<Darkling> "We have a small common room, and the bathrooms are attached. There's a microwave, and a hot plate, but that's it for cooking. Good thing we're not staying on board longer than tonight."
Rasia scrunches her nose, too used to Lit's decadent cooking to live out of a microwave. Oh well.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja doesn't seem too surprised by the rooms. She's off in her own little world, shivering and rubbing her hands together.
<Darkling> "I suggest bundling up too, the boat is not well heated."
<Darkling> "The sun will be setting soon too. If you want, we're invited up on deck to watch."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Noted, sir. I think I will."
<Rasia> Rasia looks to Wilhelm. Will he be partaking?
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Looks like it, if only to cool off further.
<Rasia> ~
<Darkling> "Let's head up then. This way."
<Darkling> He leads them up a series of metal stairs and a few doors until they are on the bridge. The sun is already close to the water line, and the engines of the boat are chugging starting to push them away from shore.
<Darkling> The sky is ablaze with colour, lighting up the water and ice in a dazzling display.
<Rasia> Rasia beams wide, taking it all in with a slow turn, before gripping the ship's railing.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja follows along, tilting her head at the sight. Then she tilts it the other way.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> The boy puts an arm around Rasia's waist as he watches with a neutral expression.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "That's kind of like..." Lahja pauses, wondering if words could even describe it. After a while something does spring to mind about someone being shot with an incendiary round going all the way through them and making their blood and colorful lunch spill all over the place, but she keeps it to herself. "It's pretty."
<Rasia> "Yes, pretty." Is all Rasia can add to it, even if her sentiment is more complex. A sea of light, waves of surging colors and sparkling mist... Transcendent.
<Darkling> =============END==============