Ski Lodge Reboot

Chatterbox: Pudding's Place

Ski Lodge Reboot

Ski Lodge Reboot - The Midnight Express!

When I first posted this ski lodge I ended up getting overwhelmed with school and life stuff and being unable to actually work on it.  But I'm back!  Without further ado, let's begin~

--- 

You wake up to the sound of a train whistle.  It pierces through the foggy dream you’d been having, bringing you back to reality.  The morning sun streams through your bedroom window.  You glance around, puzzled about where the noise came from.  When you’re unable to find an answer, you shrug and get ready for the day.  A purple butterfly perches on your windowsill.  It watches you.

 

Continuing on with your morning routine, you make a quick breakfast and head out the door.  A warm breeze ruffles your hair, hitting you with the unexpected aroma of rose and sage.  And there it is again - that high, musical train whistle in the distance.  The violet-winged butterfly has followed you.  Now it flutters through the air and lands on the front steps of your house.  Your eyes are drawn to it, and you notice that next to it is an envelope.  The folded paper parcel is a rich, deep indigo color sprinkled with gold and sealed with silver wax.  Curious, you pick it up and open it.  When the paper is torn, a puff of glitter is released and a crisp folded letter slides out.  The letter is blank, but a voice begins to speak -

 

Greetings esteemed friend!


I hope I have not interrupted you, however this is the easiest way to contact you.  You’re probably wondering what is going on - in which case, have no fear.  The Midnight Express is currently passing through, and we would love to invite a few lucky souls to join us on a weeklong trip through the realms.  The Express is no ordinary train (as you have probably gathered already).  It has numerous luxurious amenities, from a state-of-the-art ballroom and dining car to a greenhouse and astral observatory.  Of course, almost all of these will be available to you as a passenger on the Express, as well as all the sights and activities a tour through the realms could offer.  Should you choose this generous offer, please complete the form below -


Name:


CBer or AE:


Pronouns:


Appearance:


Personality in exactly seven words:


Luggage:


Favorite color described as poetically as possible:


Zodiac sign:


Law or chaos?:


Favorite fancy word (serendipity, hiraeth, etc):


Anything else we should know?:


Please keep in mind that CAPTCHAs are not allowed, and that we will be accepting 12 guests.  Also - the Midnight Express is not responsible for any lost possessions, injuries, or deaths that may occur during your trip.  Midnight is a dangerous time, after all. 


We hope to see you soon!


Sincerely,

Your Hosts Masque, Wisp, and Glimmer

--- 

By the way, everyone who joined last time (Hawkstar, Seadragon, Darkvine, Scuttles, Reuby Moonnight, OpalescentDragon, Suki, Miriam H) has first dibs on spots! 

submitted by Masque,Wisp,Glimmer, The Midnight Express
(April 30, 2023 - 4:19 pm)

back to the Pudding's Place
submitted by top
(May 21, 2023 - 4:29 pm)

Sorry for disappearing, it's currently finals week at my school and I have so many projects due.  I promise I won't let this die!  Just gotta find some time to write...

submitted by updating!
(May 23, 2023 - 7:54 pm)

Okay, I understand, having had this sort of problem before as well. Good luck with your finals! :)

submitted by Lyric, age 14, reading Ski Lodges
(May 24, 2023 - 5:42 pm)

I can wait! I'm just happy this ski lodge is still going.

submitted by Topples
(May 26, 2023 - 12:52 pm)
Lyric stood before the gleaming silver tracks of the Train Station, the one and only train station in this realm known as the Chatterbox.  She clutched her suitcase, her knuckles turning white with the strength of her grip.  She was familiar with the faces surrounding her - Scuttles’s brightly dyed hair, Darkvine’s draconic wings and Reuby’s wolf ears, along with others - but her  heart still pounded with anticipation.  There was a certain anxiety in knowing that she was waiting at the beginning of a story, a story with an ending that no one could know.  Lyric was startled when a girl next to her spoke. “I’ve been on a train before, but never a magical one… what do you think it’ll be like?”  Lyric turned to her and was surprised to see the girl dressed like she had just come out of a Roaring Twenties movie, greyscale and all.  Tenebrous’s hair was pinned up in a bob and the beads of her dress jangled in the breeze.
Lyric smiled, but she didn’t get the chance to answer before a high, melodic sound not unlike that of a flute cut loudly through the chatter around her.  A gust of wind blew her dark hair into her face as thick clouds of fog obscured the tracks, enveloping the station in a periwinkle haze.  The mist dissipated as soon as it had materialized, and a hushed gasp fell over the station platform.  Lyric couldn’t believe her eyes.  Where there had only been empty steel and dirt moments before, now stood the most beautiful vehicle she’d ever seen.  Silvery clouds rose from its smokestack and into the air, filling the atmosphere with faint scents of lavender and amber.  The locomotive’s body was made of a strange metallic material that seemed to constantly be shifting in hue, dotted with windows as clear of crystal, levitating a few inches above its wheels.  There was something decidedly otherworldly about the train, but not unnatural. 
Lyric and Tenney stepped back as a previously invisible door on the vehicle’s near side slid silently open and a smoky staircase appeared leading down from it to the platform they stood on.  Tenney could barely breathe in her excitement as a silhouette emerged from the doorway.  They appeared to be a young adult, with coppery brown skin and short umber hair that brushed their jawline, and wore a black evening gown embellished with gold.  A glimmer of bright aurelian eyes were visible beneath the violet mask they wore, intricately fashioned to look like a butterfly’s wings.  The stranger smiled and spread their arms wide in a welcoming gesture. “I’m happy to see you’ve all made it!” they cried, their voice surprisingly lively for someone so ethereal. “Welcome, my friends, to the Midnight Express!  Ah, you don’t have to just stand there - come on board!”
Lyric slowly followed her friends through the open doors and into the train’s cabin.  Lyric was pleasantly surprised to see that the interior looked not like the modern passenger trains she was used to, but a lavish sitting room decorated with pillowy aubergine sofas, stained wood tables, and softly glowing lamps that hung from the ceiling.  Tenney’s flapper attire actually fit right in, she realized.  Darkling promptly sank into one of the couches with a contented sigh. “I’ve been standing for so long, this is amazing,” they remarked.
“Yes, feel free to relax and enjoy yourselves here while we wait for my co-hosts to arrive,” the masked stranger added. “I’ll have the stewards prepare tea, just a moment.”  With that, they turned on their heels and disappeared.
“Stewards?” Hawkstar wondered, taking a seat herself. “I don’t see anyone… Oh!” As she spoke, a trio of figures appeared out of nothingness, their bodies humanoid but made of shimmering, shifting light that made her think of galaxies.  They didn’t speak, but their hollow eyes were gentle enough for Hawkstar and her companions to not be frightened.  One passed out delicate teacups and cloth napkins to everyone, one held a tray containing a diverse selection of petit fours, and the last made their way from person to person with a steaming teapot in hand.  When they approached Hawkstar they tilted their head slightly, as if asking a question.  It took her a second to understand, but then she nodded. “I’d like herbal tea, if you don’t mind.” She thanked the starry being as they poured her a cup, and took a sip.  It was quite possibly the best tea she’d ever tasted.
“I see you’ve met the lares,” their mysterious host said as they returned to their guests, accompanied by two unfamiliar people. “Yes, they’re certainly helpful in keeping this train going.”
“Excuse me if this sounds rude, but… what are they?” Pangolin asked.
One of the new arrivals, wearing a rose-gold mask with serpentine features, stepped forward.  With a wave of her hand, the starry, incorporeal beings dissipated until they had completely vanished. “They are guardian spirits, not much more than celestial ghosts whose lingering spirits haunt the spaces between worlds, looking for a place to call home.  A few have found that here, so they aid us in our voyages,” she explained, and cleared her throat with a polite cough. “Masque, I don’t believe you’ve introduced us…”
The butterfly-masked host laughed sheepishly. “I suppose I haven’t.  Well, sorry about that!  It’s wonderful to have you all here - we don’t have visitors all too often.  You may call me Masque, I’m the first of the Midnight Express’s three conductors.”
The woman in the snake mask waved to the CBers with a slight smile.  Curly snow-white hair cascaded down her back in ringlets, a sharp contrast to the deep brown of her skin.  She stood taller than Masque, with a slim figure and floor-sweeping skirt in a shade of blue as dark as the night sky. “I’m delighted to meet you all,” she told them. “My name is Glimmer, and this is - curses, where is he?”
“I’m right here!” a youthful voice rang out.  Lyric’s eyes widened in surprise when she realized it came from right next to her, where a young boy wearing an auburn fox mask and colorful scarf sat.  His long black hair was tied in a messy ponytail, and his pale skin was dappled with freckles. “Hi everybody, I’m Wisp!” He turned to where Masque and Glimmer stood with disapproving frowns. “Can I tell them about the thing?”
“What thing?” Scuttles blurted.
Wisp leaped up from his seat to address the guests. “Well, since you all will be staying here with us for a week, we thought you’d better familiarize yourselves with the many wonders the Express holds!  And what better way to do that than… drumroll please… a scavenger hunt!?”
---
Alive: Scuttles, Hawkstar, Rose, Lyric, Reuby, Suki, Pangolin, Tsuki, Wildsong, Darkling, Darkvine, Luna silvermoon, Tenebrous
Dead: n/a
Suspects: n/a 
submitted by Day 1, Part 1
(May 28, 2023 - 3:12 pm)

An exciting introduction! Can't wait for more!

submitted by WiLdSoNg
(May 28, 2023 - 6:35 pm)

Your description is lovely and well-chosen! :) I'm looking forward to hearing more.

submitted by Lyric, age 14, nowhere in particular
(May 29, 2023 - 6:05 pm)

Ahh, scavenger hunts. A Ski Lodge classic. Hmm, I wonder if the lares are ghosts of past guests...

submitted by Scuttles
(May 31, 2023 - 9:10 am)

ack, I'm so sorry for the late reply :/

Anyway, this is an absolutely wonderful first part! The writing is so atmospheric and beautiful, and everything is perfectly worded. I love the descriptions and worldbuilding so far! :D

I love scavenger hunts but I feel like someone's gonna die...

I can't wait for the next part :D

submitted by pangolin, age she/they, Outskirts of the Galaxy
(June 8, 2023 - 5:16 pm)

This is great! your writing style is amazing. Can't wait for more!

submitted by Hawkstar
(May 28, 2023 - 8:09 pm)
submitted by tippity top!
(June 6, 2023 - 11:13 am)
submitted by TOP Secret, age top, top
(June 7, 2023 - 5:57 pm)
The announcement of a scavenger hunt was, as it usually is, met with nothing but excitement. Is a ski lodge truly even a ski lodge if there is no scavenger hunt?  Scuttles wondered, almost but not quite breaking the fourth wall as they did so.  Masque cleared their throat to be heard above the cheers. “Quite thrilling, I know,” they said with a chuckle. “We’ve hidden exactly 60 of these-” They held up a fist-sized silver medallion. “-On board the train.  You may form teams or work solo, but the first person or group to bring 10 medallions back to us will be the winner!  Without further ado… let the hunt begin!”
The CBers took no time at all to scurry out of their seats and head off on their searches, some forming teams along the way.  Scuttles, Darkvine and Tsuki together dashed through the train car’s north door into a room lit in a warm amber luster.  The first thing Scuttles noticed was the huge chess board in the center of the room.  The black and white pieces were almost as tall as them, but Scuttles found them surprisingly light as they attempted to lift one. “I am totally coming back here later,” they commented.
“Me too, look at this!” Darkvine cried.  She stood by a foosball table where, instead of little people, the pegs were decorated to look like knights on one side and dragons on the other.  As she moved one of the table’s handles and a mini dragon kicked the ball into the goal she heard a metallic clunk.  Checking the goal slot, Darkvine saw a glimmer of silver and pulled out one of the medallions.  She held it up to show her teammates, and they both hurried over to her with ones of their own. “Yay!” she exclaimed. “Let’s go!”
Meanwhile, Reuby stayed by herself in the sitting room.  She was sure there were things to be found there.  After searching beneath cushions and tables to no avail, she turned her gaze upward and noticed one of the lamps hanging from the ceiling was skewed slightly, as if something was weighing it down.  Reuby stood on a chair and reached for it, her wolfish ears almost brushing the roof.  It was there she saw it - a shiny silver circle resting on top of the light fixture.  She snatched it and leapt down without a sound.
Everyone ran all around the train searching and finding medallions, some in quite strange spots - Pangolin discovered one that had somehow been hidden inside an apple - all the while exploring its many rooms.  They were delighted to discover a greenhouse full of plants, a library housing a seemingly infinite number of books, a caboose that doubled as an observatory, and a dining room straight out of a period drama.  But in the end, although everyone enjoyed themselves, there could only be one winner.  The question is just that - who will it be? Masque pondered as they waited for the hunters to return.
As if they’d heard the host’s thoughts, two figures came dashing through the door, one a barefoot brunette and the other auburn-haired with sapphire blue eyes.  Hawkstar and Rose stood in the doorframe for a moment, catching their breath.  Hawkstar looked up at Masque and the other two with a confident smile.
It took a few minutes to gather everyone back into a group, but once all the guests were together again, Hawkstar and Rose were announced as the winners.  The two were applauded, some congratulations more full-hearted than others - the hunt had been a fair game, but every game has its losers.
“Is there a prize for winning?” Rose asked expectantly.
“Of course, what kind of challenge would it be if there wasn’t a prize?” Wisp exclaimed, eyes sparkling behind his mask. “Do you want to tell them, or…”  He looked up at Masque and Glimmer.
Glimmer smiled.  “I can.  Our lovely duo of winners will receive the first pick of bedrooms-”
“While the rest of you must fight amongst yourselves for them,” Masque added.  At the dumbfounded looks on their audience’s faces, they laughed. “I’m just kidding.  The Express has accommodations aplenty.  Feel free to explore to your hearts’ content, dinner will be around 6.”
The time flew by, and soon enough everyone was gathered in the dining car.  They were served by the lares, as they had been before, the ghosts’ sparkling translucent bodies floating in and out of the room.  Scuttles’s gaze followed the celestial silhouettes, a strange sinking feeling in their gut.  They could ignore the strange sense, though, as the meal was delicious.
Pangolin was the last one to fall asleep that night.  She wasn’t sure why.  Her room was extremely comfortable - small but cozy, with a loft bed and view of the astral plane the Express was traveling through.  She stared at the ceiling, pulling her covers up to her chin as an odd chill ran through her.  There’s nothing to fear, a voice seemed to whisper.  Just close your eyes and let go of everything you know.
---
Apologies for the long wait and short post, I've been quite sick lately but hope to have a more consistent update schedule in the future.  I'm also sorry that more people may be currently being focused on than others - it's pretty hard to write 13 main characters!  Everyone will have their time to shine though, don't worry.
Alive: Scuttles, Hawkstar, Rose, Lyric, Reuby, Suki, Pangolin, Tsuki, Wildsong, Darkling, Darkvine, Luna silvermoon, Tenebrous
Dead: n/a
Suspects: n/a 
submitted by Day 1, Part 2
(June 8, 2023 - 7:25 pm)

:0 Nobody died during the scavenger hunt! Also, I love the last line, "just close your eyes and let go of everything you know." It sounds so ominous and foreboding.

submitted by Scuttles
(June 9, 2023 - 6:49 am)

No one died! I'm very surprised!

Your writing is absolutely beautiful; it's all very elegant and almost ethereal, if that makes sense. And I love the descriptions! 

That last paragraph though -- UM. It's so ominous and mysterious, and last line is beautifully worded. But, uh, I'm very worried that I'm going to die soon...

anyway, this is so good!! I can't wait for the next part :DD

submitted by pangolin, age she/they, Outskirts of the Galaxy
(June 9, 2023 - 5:45 pm)
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