In the evening, Hakuro had decided to head back to his room and forgo the day of hijinks that would have normally occurred. He didn't do these things all the time, not when it wasn't necessary. It was just that when the moment struck him, he was all-in. The fact is that Hakuro preferred to live his life on impulse and random choice, to let fate decide and go with the decision made [i]that way[/i], rather than spending excruciating hours deciding on his life. It made things so much simpler, and [i]alot[/i] more fun. In his youth, he'd read about a particular Batman villain, an attorney whose life had been half-dominated by a dark personality, and that in the course of things...that personality had been brought out in equal shares to his own. This was Two-Face, Harvey Dent, the man who split in half. Harvey obsessively made decisions by the flip of a coin. And while that shaped the kind of person he was darkly, Hakuro flipped a coin to make things go quicker and to throw in that random charm. He hadn't bothered doing that with the tree, though. That was all the tree's fault for wanting to be climbed. ..... Okay, not [i]really[/i], but you get the idea. Because he hadn't had much sleep today, his energy had actually been on a budget. He'd climbed, and then he'd run off for class to conserve energy for only his brain...until he had Phys Ed, gym class. That was a bit more taxing, and Hakuro was confident in saying that he'd used up about 90% of his burnable energy for the day, which meant he wasn't going to be much for antics today anyway. Thus, he came to his room, closed the door, and hung the coat over his swivel chair at his personal desk. His hat, he placed upon the dresser, shortly before ruffling his own hair and stretching. Being Hatto-san was tiring work, and speaking of which... He sat down before the computer and got on the Hatto Site. He was looking things over, smiling and snerking at the comments, even the negative ones. He started to feel tired - more-so than when he'd walked in - as he was asking the question, 'Why are people so uppity about me being up this tree?', posting his pictures OF said tree and all the pictures he'd taken. He'd gotten pics of the campus, some of the people, that girl on the motorcycle, a random bird... Wow, he was REALLY- [b][i]THUD![/i][/b] Ow. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> He blinked and...had his hand to his forehead, then it dropped to his sides as he looked around. Hakuro was at a train station, back in hat and coat, surrounded by fog. Well, [i]that[/i] wasn't unusual. He was often doing that. Thing is, though...he couldn't remember where he was going. That was something he would [i]definitely[/i] remember. Was he off to visit a friend? Move to a new place? Buy some groceries? Meet a stalker? His mind was all fuzzy on that, and this place seemed to eerily desolate. Nobody was around...right? [color=00a651]"Hello!"[/color] [i]Hello...lo...[/i] Just echoes. Hmmm. [color=00a651]"Hey!"[/color] [i]Hey...![/i] Now, he smirked. [b][i][color=00a651]"WWWIIIINSSSTOOONNN!!!"[/color][/i][/b] Couldn't resist, although...the answer was ironically a [i]train[/i]. He wasn't on the tracks, so there was no worry to be had [i]there[/i], however the train itself was a bit strange... Blue train, looking like it really didn't belong. The doors opened, and a voice made an announcement that seemed fitting with the English surroundings he'd been getting use to. Alright, this sounded fun... He stepped inside. No sooner had he done so than he noticed two of the people he saw in the morning today, Alex and Ava. [color=00a651]"Oh, hi. Fancy meeting [i]you[/i] here."[/color] He didn't really have Alexander's attention. HIS was on what was [i]presuumably[/i] the announcer, as the voice had been a youthful one, and there was a youth here whom...Hakuro couldn't really tell if it were male or female. Hmmm. Out of sheer wit, he meant to draw out his coin and flip it for random decision on that matter. He couldn't find it. What...? Aw man, did he lose it? It was just a quarter from the US, but he'd had it since he was a kid from one of the guests at the resort. He'd look for it later. Had to be [i]somewhere[/i]... Down to business, though... This Igor fella. What a nose! Why? [i]How?[/i] He did not explain. What he DID say was that this Velvet Train leaving the Velvet Station was called the Velvet [i]Room[/i], and that they were [i]safe[/i]. Good to know. So, the man had also introduced themselves and seemingly had a bit of trouble with the rebellious Amari. Furthermore, when Igor invited them to say whatever was on their mind, Alex surprisingly answered in a heavy accent to the Attendant first. This made Amari laugh, as well as Hakuro, and go [b][color=fff200]"It's not really proper, though. Pip, pip!"[/color][/b] before Alex continued with the serious questions, as well as Ava remarking on the train itself and also asking her own question. As for Hakuro...he felt the train moving and...much like how outside it seemed like the tracks were going at odd angles...it felt almost like [i]the train itself[/i] was traveling at those angles...yet nothing and nobody was falling over. [color=00a651]"This isn't a normal train, is it?"[/color] Igor smiled calmly and said... [b][color=004b80]"This place...is not reality as you know it. At this moment, you are not really here, but asleep in your own rooms. The Velvet Room is a place that exists between dreams and reality, neither fact nor fiction. This train travels upon the rails of human consciousness, in a world where the mind may hold great power, if you know how to reach it. You have come here, because you are undergoing a journey, one quite unlike any that you have ever taken."[/color][/b] [color=00a651]"What, even me? I've been around..."[/color] He nodded. [b][color=004b80]"Indeed. It is one that only you and those who follow you may take, and I must warn you...that while this place is your haven, the world outside of the Velvet Room is full of danger and mystery. You must arm yourselves against it, in mind and in body. You will know what to do, however. Of that, I am sure."[/color][/b] [color=00a651]"You still haven't answered [i]his[/i] question, though. Why us? Why are WE here? What is this journey?"[/color] For a moment, it seemed as though Igor might seem a bit grim. His voice did not change, but the tone of his [i]everything else[/i] did. [b][color=004b80]"Those who can traverse this world number in the many, right now, as well as those who can affect it with their subconscious and not even be aware of it. This is not just a world alternate to your own. It IS your own, in spirit. It is connected. Things are happening now, the dice of chance are rolling. They that come here are responsible for their actions, for good or for ill, but they can affect the lives of many others. However, only they can determine if it is right or wrong. It all comes down to this: Purpose. Why are we here? What drives us forwards? Why do we do what we do? What is right or wrong when we do it? You must keep these thoughts in mind when you finally cross the barrier into this world of your own free will."[/color][/b] He sat back, now. [b][color=004b80]"Only you can decide upon the outcome, what happens here. Only you can determine if it was right or wrong, or if the grand design was too complex. You may choose to bow out, and you are free to do so. No one would blame you. But whatever comes of that decision, to move forward or to pull back, is entirely yours...and you must live with that."[/color][/b] Ahhh...so that's why his coin was missing. This was too important to decide on a whim.