SKREEEEE!

[strangerpeople]

SKREEEEE!

[It's about three o'clock when the train suddenly hears something like the cry of a crow. It's not coming from inside the train, either; it's coming from the outside.

Almost instantly, the speaker system comes to life, and the Conductor's voice echoes through the cars.]

Attention, all passengers and crew! We are under attack. Please come to armaments if you are willing. Otherwise, please congregate in the lounge for your own safety. Immediately, please.

I will meet those of you coming to the weapons.

Comments

[overworker]

These are all my things...?

[Towa peers into the panel and-- huh?]

Wait. That jacket...

[She forgets everything else when she sees it. After all, it can't possibly be hers. Her school jacket is green, not red. The only one that's ever been on her person at any time was... Rean's...]

C-can I have that? It's from my school...

[disregartist]

Of course.

[She goes to get it, but as she does, she stops, looking into Towa's eyes. Her hand holding the jack it halfway out of the machine that holds...literally who knows what.]

...

your eyes...

[overworker]

[Towa blinks, arms outstretched to take the item when the Conductor said that.]

...my eyes?

[disregartist]

...You've seen it. The Correspondence. I can see it in your eyes.

...

[Her eyes light up at this.]

Do you remember what symbol it was? I must know. I must write it down.

[overworker]

...oh!

[When she says "symbol", it all clicks and Towa nods.]

Yes, I did see something like that. It was on the back of the wall in Menahoven. I have a picture of it though.

What is the Correspondence? When I saw it, I thought I'd seen something that felt similar before.

[disregartist]

Beautiful. I wish to see it-I have been learning it for a very long time. Perhaps this one is new.

[A smile comes on her face at this.]

It is a language of power. And yes. You would have seen it before.

[The hand not holding the jacket brushes against her hairpin.]

Naturally. Ah-yes. Your jacket.

[Here it is. Have at it.]

[overworker]

[So they were the same after all. It's very good to have that confirmation.]

So the symbols themselves are a source of power? That sounds pretty incredible.

[Towa takes the jacket and very carefully folds it over her arm. Only once it's neatly folded there, can she pull out her notebook and then-- from it, she pulls the picture she took.]

Here it is.

[disregartist]

Indeed. They are Law.

Ah, thank you.

[She takes it and examines it. Her eyes light up.]

"A concept beyond the empyrean, firmly rooted in this firmament". I haven't seen a complete one like this. Excellent. Of course it would be in a land like Menahoven!

Perfect. Listen-I...of course, I can't exactly ask favors of you. I am aware that I am seen as little more than your captor, and I respect you may decline. But if...you should see other symbols of the Correspondence, do let me know. I am always looking for them as part of my main job, you see. Among other things, it's very important to me to know about these.

[overworker]

I'm a little interested in them myself now, so if there are others, I'll do my best to find them. And if I do, I'd be more than happy to show them to you.

You know more about them then I do, so it's a learning experience for me as well.

[After all, she wouldn't know any of this if she hadn't shared it with her.]

But in return, I'd like to know as much as I can about them as I find them. If that's alright.

[disregartist]

[A hum, then a nod.]

Yes, that is acceptable. I shall agree to this.

[overworker]

Then we have a deal.