Breaking local laws was something Tarvek would prefer not to do…but had been necessary simply to acquire local currency. Paper currency that was also in electronic format, and, most importantly, accessible through comp-devices that were linked to a central database somewhere. Even more importantly….accessible to his comp-devices to fool such devices into allocating a small quality of local currency. A small bit here, another at another machine, and they had enough to access a train transport that would get them several leagues away from the city. Anywhere, just…away.
Silence had been much of the journey, for they could only discuss through metaphors and less obvious remarks about the things he had seen. Not when this human culture seemed to have limited conception of personal space to Tarvek's opinion, even more than the usual ones he'd dealt with. Even getting seated, as they were now, had involved changing transport trains, with this one leading out to the more rural areas at a decent pace. Only now were they in a train largely empty, night having fallen, the lights of the mid-carriage they were on dull as the handful of humans on it now headed home perhaps. Gone from every one of them pressing upon each other to this more thankful emptiness as the transport began to move once more.
Placing a privacy device on the table, as they were clear enough now, he looked to his two companion, the younger having woken back up. This was her realm, and yet she had refused to depart from them. Helping them she claimed, and her comms-device had merely checked her status but had found precious little. Not great considering by her logic she had been missing for at least a three day-cycles per this earth, and there was limited seeking her out by kin or friend. The implications were poor that such were sufficiently carrying;- all of which would make her more ideal of a target for….for….
'Whatever that horror was' he pushed the image from his mind, glancing out at the now countryside rolling back his eyes better in the dark than the human guise he wore. Ritual sacrifices seemed the most likely now, the more he thought on the subject. Because that was a pocket divine realm clear, or daemon realm, either having taken a city from another plane of existence, or the realm had simply had a false city raised within to serve as ritualistic hunting grounds. Something that Janet clearly wished to discuss, and had been unhappily unable to do so...till now as late night had fallen here.
"What is that?"
His human disguise shrugged at Janet's query "It is a privacy device, eliminating our conversation from the rest of the carriage"
Her disguised self frowned "Why not earlier then?"
"The transport was too crowded to risk. There are now only seven passengers upon this carriage, if we include our trio. Two of which are asleep and lights low. It is feasible now. It was not earlier" he pointed out ensuring they were aware should one of the serving females arrive, checking down the carriage. Thankfully they were tourists, with their half-Japanese daughter, as Tarvek had adjusted his disguise to a local after his original form had acquired cash from machines, just as they had purchased clothing for both females, albeit in a rush at whatever shop was nearest the station "Truthfully? It could be preferable to wait, but answers are sought?"
Janet nodded, sighed tiredly, looking at him "Yes. Certainly more of an explanation than; There was an emergency, we had to evac. Immediately"
"Such was very true though. The plane we were on….there was something there. Something vast" he stated, as he wasn't going to risk any revelation of Names or Details that might draw attention from beyond. However unlikely that was "Not those masked beings, but something as vast as the city. For the city was within a pocket realm as per the last readings….we stayed, we would have been sought, found, and then devoured. Protocols….well, they were in place for situations such as that. Evac, immediate evac, was the only sane response"
"Fine. But you were very intent on waiting things out to…make a secret, quiet, or whatever evac"
He nodded unhappily "Hence why our dash across the city of this realm, and then making distance from our point of entry. Nor my own disguise being retained, instead clad as one is now"
Janet let out a breath, Mayuko yawning, rubbing her eyes as she spoke "Why didn't you, dunno, get us on a plane and…fly away?"
"Travel within polities such as this, as from your own words, are less than attempting to travel between differencing nations" he said the obvious "As has been shown. It is why we are taking a train to the middle of nowhere as you stated you viewed it. It should also bring to the obvious question. This is thine realm Mayuko, yet you remain with us"
"I'm…help…"
"Child, you really should go home" Janet said, now they had some measure of privacy "This is…this not some adventure to join"
"They don't even care I'm gone" came the muttered reply, arms folding across chest "Can't I help out my….saviours?"
"Paying back debts is important, yes, but there is none here. Revealing your tale, with data and coverage from the comms-device may gather attention. Or you may simply return to your prior life, and hope the threat does not return"
"Right…" the girl growled, or muttered, before sitting back, starring at them, before grunting "Maybe I don't want to…stay in my realm?"
"The journey we are on is dangerous, and will be uncomfortable and boring at other times" Tarvek pointed out, as he suspected this may be so with her "It is no place you for you one would humbly suggest"
Janet was reaching out to touch the girl "He's right, in this, you should Mayuko. Return home I mean. This…you've seen how dangerous such things are"
"Yeah, just go home and wait for the next time I get grabbed" came the muttered response, followed by what he'd expected earlier, and was likely more honest "Not that I was noticed. Not enough to care, or maybe just enough to get beaten and battered by them or at school!"
"Hmm, yes, the danger remains. In that she is correct" he said, more to Janet than Mayuko, as they were not going to be here to protect the girl once they departed. And whatever had got her the first time could do so again unless she fled the city and her family believe her. Which, as best he could understand, they would not "So, that is a valid concern, though, Mayuko, Janet is very correct. Death is a strong possibility for the path we walk. We merely seek to return to our homes"
"Good for you, but better than here" she muttered back, but she was serious and truthful as well "I was gonna to die…I give better odds of me growing old with you rather than staying here"
"Hmm" Tarvek said nothing more in protest, leaving that to Janet, as the result was already clear, at least in what Mayuko wished to occur. Adding another traveller was…less than ideal, especially one such as her who had limited to no survival skills, even compared to Janet. But the risk remained either way, and she was correct in her concerns….and she had been useful here at least, so there was some allowance to be made. Really, he'd prefer a senior to such choices, but here he was, isolated and adrift, and she seemed willing to give her allegiance in exchange for protection.
His gaze moved to the passing buildings and countryside, his own scans showing them headed away from the dimensional 'hot spot' that was the city they had arrived in. Were they being hunted?
He could not tell, and best efforts to remain hidden were taken. Heading away from the activity and seeking out another such spot, further north of the city-capital they'd departed hours ago now. Rural areas were, supposedly, less inhabited due to potential a pre-collapse or late-industrial civ-level situation where decline in population set in, but before the die-offs of late stage. Ideal in this regards as it should allow 'hiking' and finding a way out of this realm in the quiet manner he'd wanted. If they could make distance from this plane then circle back to the Waystation, even without progress, Tarvek would consider this a victory of sorts. Or, at the very least, minimising of the defeat just suffered.
'First though. Getting an Oath perhaps' he thought, turning his attention back to the current problem needing to be dealt with…
