eastbound | un: ut malum pluvia

[ It's been days, and Five still hasn't found that damn missing bride. The more he finds out about this train, the more he'd like to get to the bottom of this 'reality altering' living dream nonsense before it causes real problems. Whatever was going on with that train breakdown, it's obvious things are getting worse. Then there was that weird ass message from the Merchant warning them not to leave the tracks. Like anyone would.

As much as he hates turning back to the network, several of them have been picking up on threads lately. It's possible they have a lead, and after he spoke to the apothecary, he's hoping one will have something worthwhile to contribute. ]

So we know the train and others like it used to make their money ferrying dream thieves. [ It's very possible they don't know that, but Five sounds like he's talking to himself more than the rest of them. ] And the wares that were stolen from the apothecary during the weddings were magic stabilizers and sleep narcotics, powerful enough to kill someone. We also know that no one on the staff has made much of an effort to find what was taken, so there's a chance they were involved one way or another.

[ At least the conductor, who Five doesn't trust for one second. ]

What we don't know, is what their motivations are. The bride is easy enough to figure out, but why help her? [ And now he actually sounds like he's addressing the others: ] Did anyone have contact with the three women who came on board? It seemed like they were just as eager to steal whatever they could get their hands on. Where the hell did they go?

[ Then they disappeared just before the conductor announced that a dream thief was onboard. Something must have happened during the breakdown. There's a lot he's still missing, and he's half convinced it's because he's been sleeping far too many hours for them to get away with whatever they want. And while the solution isn't promising, he still throws it out there. ]

I've got some ideas, but I'll need 100 silver pieces. Feel free to donate.

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... A hundred silver pieces?

[He's just going to ask for that from the group at large? Just imagine the look your sister is giving you right now, Five.]

What do you need it for?

[ There's a couple reasons he didn't ask her for the money. One because she might wonder why he doesn't have it all of a sudden, and two because she would inevitably ask that question. ]

I'm going back to the apothecary.

[See her bury her face in her hands, trying not to let out a groan.]

A little sleep isn't going to kill you, Five. And you can't be sure about the side-effects.

Did you forget about the demon that tried to kill me in a dream?

[ Or the one that possessed him a few days after? Alem wasn't that long ago. ]

It's not a little sleep, it's magic being forced on us so they can get away with whatever they want. If you've got another idea to counteract it without them knowing, I'm listening.

[Okay, Allison doesn't have a good counter for the demon bit.]

Your dreams haven't tried to kill you since we got on the train. I think we're far enough from Hell for that. And if you're so concerned about what happens while we're sleeping, why don't you talk to the members of the group who don't sleep?

[She already knows why, it's because Five doesn't trust anyone, but she's going to point it out anyway.]

Do you really think you can trust the apothecary?

[ He knows she knows why. For some reason she enjoys making him sound paranoid, when he's really just being sensible. Secondhand information is never going to cut it with him. ]

...I trust that he cares enough about his reputation not to poison another passenger. If it doesn't work, I won't be any worse off.

And how do you know that he's not working with whoever's on board? At least people in the group we know are working to the same goal.

[She does find him a little paranoid when he feels more comfortable putting questionable potions in his body over having a conversation with another human. It just doesn't seem sensible, Five!!]

Are we? [ Five wouldn't go and lump them all together. ] The old man's motivation is a lot simpler. All he wants is to get paid, and maybe for someone to take him seriously.

I can work with that.

People who just want to get paid will always sell you out for someone willing to bid higher.

[She's just saying. Then she sighs.]

Just ... be careful.

[She doesn't have any money to give you but she knows she can't stop you.]

[ ...The fact that she's worried enough to warn him is a sign that he's been giving her too much to worry over lately. Solving their problem here won't totally build back her confidence in him, but it's a start. ]

If something does go horribly wrong, I don't think you'll have any trouble catching the culprit. [ He's ancient. After a pause, he adds one thing to calm her nerves: ] I'll be fine. Either it works, or we go to the backup plan.

Okay.

[Joke's on you, Five, she's always going to worry about you. Especially when it comes to sleep. That's what you get when you have family around.]

And yeah, if something goes wrong, I'll handle it.

[ Lucky for her, he's slept enough for a lifetime on this train so he can afford to go off. Naturally this is how sleep works. ]

We can decide what we need to shut down afterward. It can't be long until we reach our destination.

[Sigh, Five. Sigh. She will get him into a healthy sleep schedule if it kills her.]

That's a shame. Aside from the weird dream shit, this is probably the nicest travel accommodations we've had.

[ She isn't wrong, but he's still surprised that she'd say it, considering she had to sleep ten feet from him on a bunk with a teenager. He's barely heard a complaint out of her despite the first class tickets floating around. ]

Not too cramped for you?

[Her eyebrows go up a bit, surprised, before shaking her head.]

No. Not at all.

[Almost reminds her of home, with all of them packed on top of each other.]

[ Mature. Then again, it's significantly better than the conditions in Alem. And so far they haven't been outright attacked in their sleep, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't put a stop to it. ]

Good. [ He prefers knowing where she is all the time. ] After I take care of this, we can talk about a game plan.

[She gives him a small salute.]

Sounds good. You know where to find me.

un: ut malum pluvia | audio

@taken for granite | voice

@ut malum pluvia

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