A City Falls: Start

[voidtreckermods]

Preparation

Just after light on the seventh day of the month of Bassoon everyone’s SCA glows with the colour of the void before showing a message. A briefing for the mission to come.

Anyone who goes to investigate the dressing carriage will find all the cupboards and drawers open. They may need to battle through spider webs but soon will find an array of clothes. Trousers, skirts, dresses, shirts, robes, cloaks. Everything they will need and plenty of choice. All the clothes have accents of team colours in more muted hues than the normal bold hoodies they wear.

A few hours later there is an announcement over the speakers. "Arrival to Planet #25768 imminent. Prepare for exit from Void. Drop order: Purple, Orange, Red, Blue. All passengers are to wear their Safety Control Apparatus and are reminded that emergency evacuation protocol is three short taps."

The train shudders and jerks. It is time.

Purple

"Purple Team to doors. Drop in two minutes. Purple team to doors."

The train flies down through the air before coming to a stop between two rocky outcrops. The doors hiss open, it’s a bit of a jump down to the ground and anyone who looks back will find the train hard to see. Not invisible but definitely cloaked, shifting to blend in with the rock.

They can hear the sound of many footsteps and the high sound of young voices. It is easy to hear where they need to be.

As they move down the rocky slope they will see the main pass. A large group of children are walking. Spirits are high even if it is clear they are on their guard. Older teens are wearing weapons, swords, the odd axe, a few daggers. Nothing expertly crafted but they all wear them with ease. Slightly younger children carry the very young, toddlers and those too young to walk and keep pace.

There’s a sound from in front of the group. From around the corner a girl, about thirteen years old, runs towards them. Her braids bounce against her shoulders, her eyes are wide with fear and she waves her hands at the others. “Run! Run!”

A shadow looms behind her, a winged wolf, gaining speed towards her. Sat on the wolf is a spear wielding goblin.

From all around them a growling of many more wolves, in the hills, close and ready to pounce.

Orange

Once Purple Team are gone the train flies again. "Orange Team to doors. Drop in two minutes. Orange Team to doors."

The train seems to be still concealed as it hovers at the city walls. There’s a bit of a jump onto the walls but at least they are near one of the staircases down into the city.

Also luckily no one seems to have seen them appearing out of no where though that has more to do with the general chaos rather than anything else!

There is a lot of chaos! People evacuating, animals everywhere, people looking lost and bewildered. Get herding or helping and encourage people up that cliff path!

Red

The train flies onward. "Red team to doors. Drop in two minutes. Red team to doors."

The train makes a slightly bumpy landing on a rocky slope. Scrambling up the slope red team will see a group of fighters, perhaps eighty in total. There are some supplies to the side, not yet allotted. Some horses and weapons. All the fighters are currently focused on a tall woman who is on horseback, facing them from the front.

“… Say those that stand here, as few as we may be were the ones who end the goblin menace on our lands for good. For our children and our families. We fight!”

The end of what was clearly a rousing speech, the fighters cheer. They begin to move over the slope, towards the goblin camp below. If you are joining this battle the time is now!

Blue

The train flies low, skimming over the lake. "Blue Team to doors. Drop in one minute. Blue Team to doors."

Jumping down off the train they will land in the shallows of the lake. It’s not deep enough to go over their boots and now too far to wade to shore. The shore is rocky, loose rocks and pools of water to avoid. The tower stands before them. Three goblins, riding wolves perch on the walls high above them. The sky above crackles with lightning that is not at all natural.

The doorway to the tower is open, there are a lot of stairs to get up. The howls of the wolves fill the air as the wizards fight them off above. Time to climb!

Comments

suit up

[happyends]

Madoka is still in the middle of trying to pick some clothes for herself. It's taking her a long while - not because she's picky, but just since there's so much choice! And honestly, the longer she keeps her mind on this, the longer she doesn't have to think about how nervous she feels about the whole mission thing.

So hearing Feanor speak up is a welcome distraction, even if it's kind of surprising to suddenly hear that while being so focused on the clothes themselves. She turns to look at the other with wide eyes.

"Um.. Are these kinds of clothes normal for you..?"

[tinkerheart]

"More or less," Feanor replies with a nod.

The quality is definitely lacking, the style is not exactly his and yet... It may not be perfect but still an improvement over what he was forced to wear up to this point.

"Have you chosen something for yourself already or do you need assistance?"

[happyends]

"Ah.."

That question seems to take her aback, no matter how simple it is. The girl's gaze slides from him over to the clothes, and she ends up looking a little sheepish by the time she looks back at Feanor.

"Well, I haven't picked anything yet.." But she'd feel bad asking for help. Surely everyone must be busy with preparing themselves for the mission.. How could she ask them to sacrifice their time for her instead then? "I'm not sure what would suit me.. B-But I'll probably figure it out!"

[tinkerheart]

Fëanor never had an occasion to pick clothes for girls, having only sons, but it can't really be that difficult?

"Well, we don't exactly know what's awaiting us there so why don't you pick something you will feel comfortable in and I can tell you if it suits you?"

That might not be the best fashion advice in history but at least it's practical.

[happyends]

Be ready to adopt Madoka as a daughter into your heart, Feanor..

"You don't mind..?" Sure, he offered, which clearly means he doesn't mind. But with Madoka being Madoka and her constantly worrying about whether she's being a bother on other people or not, she can't help but ask. She looks surprised he'd even offer to begin with, really. "I'm sure you know a lot.." because he's pretty, okay, just look at that hair! Clearly he's a style expert! "But I wouldn't want to impose on you or your time, sir."

[tinkerheart]

He already did. He just hasn't fully realized yet that it happened.

"Of course I don't. Would I be offering if I didn't mean to?" She's such a sweet child but Fëanor has no clue why she's so constantly startled by the fact that sometimes others want to do something for her and not the other way round.

"And no, you are not imposing," he adds.

Look, it is a matter of personal pride with the hair ... and one terrible pun to go with it. Thankfully Madoka is not aware of it. Sure, it would be more practical to cut them short but Fëanor knows he looks better with longer. He can always braid them if they get in the way too much.

[happyends]

It's hard, living the completely insecure life. But at least he seems to have reassured Madoka enough that she won't fret about it further - not until she has a new reason to do so, anyway. Instead she just offers him a small, yet grateful smile.

"In that case.. thank you very much." It's even followed by a very quick polite bow. Got to properly show her appreciation for the help! "I was thinking of looking for something pink, since I like that.. But there's not a whole lot with that colour."

[tinkerheart]

"Pink?" She really gives him a pause. He wouldn't pick this particular color but they're not talking about his personal preferences.

"I think that red would suit you just as fine and there are definitely more options in red."

Fëanor shuffles through a selection of almost nearly identical dresses in muted colors with some red accents. He picks one that looks the least extravagant.

"How about this one?" he asks presenting his find to Madoka.

It doesn't hurt that red is actually his own color of choice.

[happyends]

"Red..?"

She sounds a little surprised, but at the very least it's not the kind of surprised where she's really questioning him as much as she's just caught off guard by the suggestion, having to stop and think about it for a moment and mumbling "Like my ribbons..?" to herself while Feanor is busy looking through the rack of clothes.

When he pulls out the dress he's found, Madoka has to stare at it for a moment. (If she knew he picked the least extravagant one, she'd be grateful, really. She's so not the type.)

"Um, I guess that one looks nice.. Do you like red a lot?"

[tinkerheart]

"Indeed I do."

Even if he utterly despises the clothes he has to wear on a daily basis here on the train, at least the train kidnapper got the color scheme almost right. It could have been worse. Fëanor doesn't think it's vanity to not want to look hideous.

"Why don't you try it on then?"

[happyends]

There's no way Madoka could refuse a request like that, as polite as she is. And she figures Feanor knows more about what would look good than she does anyway.

"Alright, I will.. Can you look away just for a moment while I try it on?"

[tinkerheart]

"Naturally," says Fëanor turning around.

Why there's no dressing room in the whole dressing carriage? They've got mirrors and a whole lot of clothes but not a single space with a curtain so the ladies could change in peace.

Unless there is such a place and they're all collectively blind for not noticing. That would be embarrassing.

[happyends]

Clearly whoever is in charge of the train has no sense of modesty!

But at the very least it doesn't take very long for Madoka to put on the dress. If there's any shyness in her voice when she speaks up again, it's really just since she has no idea yet how it looks on her, so her natural insecurity creeps up on her.

"Um.. You can look again now."

[tinkerheart]

They should be ashamed of themselves!

Fëanor turns around. He knows she'll look good. She's the type that would look good in everything that doesn't overcrowd her natural beauty with too much ornament.

"Splendid!"

She wouldn't look out of place at any of the many festivals that were held in Tirion. It's not the dress though. The dress is fine. He'd say it's passable. It could definitely be better with a few modifications and a better choice of the fabric. It's her inner beauty shining through that makes even such an ordinary dress look good. She wouldn't look better were she wearing gold and diamonds.

He bows.

"You, my lady, are a rare flower."

[happyends]

Although her insecurity was the most prominent voice in her head, there was a tiny part of her that expected him to say that it did look decent - if not just because he suggested it, and he probably wouldn't criticise it as harshly because of that.

But the actual answer he gives goes beyond Madoka's wildest expectations. First her eyes grow wide in surprise, and a moment later - seemingly as the full realisation hits her - her cheeks start to colour until they match her hair.

"A.. Ah, t-that's..!"

What does she even say to such a big compliment like that? Especially when it's coming from someone so effortlessly beautiful!

"Y-You don't have to bow for me! And a f-f-flower.. I, um.. I don't know.." She's just prattling on nervously and shyly at this point, hardly making sense anymore. Her voice grows softer too, especially as she finally says: "Thank you.."

[tinkerheart]

Clearly Madoka is not used to compliments. Fëanor can see it in every stage of her startled expression. It's sad but also there's little pleasure in praising someone who's used to be complimented. Better she's not one of those.
Yet Fëanor, not for the first time, wonders what kind of world, or rather worlds, all those children were taken from.

"There's a mirror over there. You can go and look for yourself," he says with a smile.

If he ever had a daughter he most probably would have spoiled her terribly.

[happyends]

Madoka nods slightly, her cheeks still colouring, and then obediently turns to go look at her reflection. For a few moments she just stares in silence, but then she slowly speaks up:

"You're right, the dress is really pretty.."

Really, the dress is pretty simple considering the selection they have available here. But Madoka is pretty easily impressed.

(And of course she's giving the compliment to the dress and not to herself.)

[tinkerheart]

Fëanor stands behind her. It's obvious they're not seeing the same thing in that mirror.

"The dress is fine. It is you who makes it pretty."

Not a bad choice but it wouldn't hurt if she at least had a necklace for a good finish. Maybe this world can provide him with something to work on. Mission aside, he already has a couple of ideas he'd like to try. It should be something subtle but visible enough to make a statement. Later. When he finds materials.

"Do I assume correctly then that you're satisfied with my advice?"

It never hurts to ask.

[happyends]

Fëanor: local train fashionista.

But while she's absolutely terrible with compliments when it comes to herself, Madoka would be first in line when it comes to complimenting other people. So the moment he asks that, she almost seems surprised by the question for a moment. Ah, that's right, she totally forgot to thank him after saying that..!

"O.. of course!"

She quickly turns away from the mirror and into his direction instead, quickly bowing.

"Thank you so much for helping me out.. But I suppose finding pretty things comes naturally to you since you're so beautiful. It's an amazing talent."

[tinkerheart]

In contrast, Fëanor takes compliments in stride. They're only natural to him. So natural they barely register.

"You're welcome, little flower," he replies to her bow with one graceful bow himself "It's been a pleasure."