[ACRO] Outside VIII: We cater birthday parties

[The Bushranger]

Ah, no, not vampires, but there's those who might consider them preferable. Brendan nods. That's interesting. Most places where I come from, the rails went just about everywhere as fast as they could - was there a limitation on the amount of magic, or something?

[Recaiden]

On how fast they could make the rails. Now they are getting everywhere. Ashna shrugs.
I don't know what exactly it was, but now they can make them quickly.

[The Bushranger]

Well, you can expect a transportation revolution then. Something occurs to Brendan as they reach the other train. I don't suppose you have air travel yet?

[Recaiden]

Didn't she tell him this part already?
Of course we do. That came first. It just hasn't progressed much.
She steps into the other train.
You'll see some airships as we go along. Kind of odd that we haven't already, actually.

[The Bushranger]

BR is forgetful sometimes.
Mm, airships. Any world is always better with Zeppelins. Brendan half-teases as he follows her to their seats. They were a dead-end for my world, though.

[Recaiden]

(())
It is a nice world. Wait, zeppelins? Oh no. They're just as much of a dead end here. You'll see.
She sits down to wait for a long train ride.
((Gone for 15 min, and I really mean it this time.))

[The Bushranger]

Brendan raises an eyebrow at that as he settles in next to her. ...you're talking literal air-ships? Wow...

[Recaiden]

Ashna smiles. Of course. Your home didn't have such things?

[The Bushranger]

Nope. We have winged craft that can carry up to 800 people in some cases, but no ships that fly. Well, not without wings, anyway.

[Recaiden]

Eight . . . hundred? That's a bit bigger than any of our craft. Huh. Oh, this ride might be longer than you were expecting, because we kind of have to cross the whole continent to get there.

[The Bushranger]

Oh. Well, that's not a problem. Brendan shrugs, looking about for any suspicious-looking fellow passengers. I've always loved train rides. And yeah, 850 I think is the biggest so far. Most are a whole lot smaller, though.

[Recaiden]

Good. I like them too. They're kind of calming.

The train isn't that full, but there are plenty of suspicious passengers.

There's a person standing looking into a window, and they look different every time Brendan looks back at him. But he can never be seen to change if he's watched.
There's a woman with an abstract blue tattoo snaking over every visible bit of skin, holding a ferret.
A group of 4 people hidden in hooded, dark gray cloaks sitting together at one end of this car.
To start with.

[The Bushranger]

After a little while, Brendan leans over to whisper. This wouldn't happen to be the wreched train of scum and villiany, would it?

[Recaiden]

There are 5 normal looking people too. Odd clothes, but no odder than everyone in town.
Ashna leans over to hear and answer.
No. Why would you think that?

And a tall, bluish lizard person who just walked in from another car.

[The Bushranger]

The shapeshifter by the window and the bunch of hoods over there, for starters...

Lizardpeople are, well, lizardpeople. And anybody holding a ferret has to be good.
Now, if it was a weasel...

[Recaiden]

It might be a weasel. I think it is now.

What, that guy? He's just glad to be old enough to shapeshift. Probably heading home to Tower City. And the church won't make trouble on a public train. Nothing to worry about. Ashna nods to Brendan.
Now, that noble with the weasel over there, if you have to worry about someone, it should be her.

[The Bushranger]

Ah, a weasel with a weasel, you mean. Brendan smirks a little. So the nobility around here isn't oft of the good, I take it, then. Or is she a 'I'm noble and I don't like it so I'm acting out' type?

[Recaiden]

No, not often. Power corrupts and all that. There are of course exceptions, but . . .
She looks over at the woman. Well, given that tattoo and the weasel, probably the acting out type.

[The Bushranger]

That's what I figured. Brendan's tone is bemused. That type is the same everywhere.

[Recaiden]

Mhm. They can be fun to watch though.
I wonder why she's heading back towards her home.

[The Bushranger]

Fun to watch as long as you're at minimum safe distance. And maybe she wants to shock her parents...

[Recaiden]

Weasels aren't that shocking. Ashna smiles. I'm sure she is actually different.

[The Bushranger]

Who said anything about the weasels? I was talking about the ink. Brendan shrugs almost impercetably. Knew of a girl in the old place who had blue tattoos, she wasn't exactly the most friendly sort.

[Recaiden]

All nobles have tattoos like that. Unless she got it changed, they wouldn't freak out. Ashna looks a bit more serious than before.

[The Bushranger]

...oh. Well, that's certainly something different from what I'm used to. Do they define rank, or something like that?

[Recaiden]

Mhm. Which family they're in, their standing, and so on. And they usually have some magic function too.

[The Bushranger]

Ah. So, I'm presuming the more tattoos, the higher the rank, and the more the magic power? Brendan grimaces a little. This keeps getting better and beter.

[Recaiden]

Exactly. What's wrong with it?

And why are you speaking in blue?

[The Bushranger]

Because BR is distracted watching youtube.

Noble, trouble. Noble with weasel, more trouble. Powerful noble with weasel with magical enhancement means I wish I had more firepower on me at the moment when things inevitably go wrong... Brendan grins a little, but is clearly serious.

[Recaiden]

Oh. Maybe things won't get bad until she leaves the train and gets home. I hope. Ashna shrugs.