FINAL WEEK

[strangerpeople]

FINAL WEEK

[Well. What else can be said? The Little Courtesy is over. You have all survived. You are now going to your final destination-with invitations to boot. And Charlotte will be getting that private audience, as promised.

But it's not over. Everyone knows it. Confrontation is inevitable. The question is what, exactly, will happen when that confrontation happens-or if anyone will in fact be able to go with Charlotte when it happens. But you've gone this far. There's no turning back. There has to be a way.

Nothing has been certain, or simple. Whatever happens will be no different from the horrors of the Little Courtesy. Perhaps the saying might still hold. Will all be well? Will it?

It must. God help everyone if it isn't.

Seven is the Number, but there are nine strangers left in this place.]

Comments

SUNDAY

[strangerpeople]

Looking for rats. Politely.

[charmingheroine]

Um, excuse me, but... is there a member of the crew nearby?

[It's not like their rooms have call buttons... or if they do, she's overlooked it.]

Re: Looking for rats. Politely.

[strangerpeople]

...

[There's a grumble from the walls.]

What you want?

[katzenpfote]

[Caleb spends a good portion of the morning puttering around the mess in the dining car, making some soup with vegetables and mushrooms. He's singing children's songs, but unless you speak German Zemnian, they're likely largely incomprehensible.]

[The large pot of soup is set out in the dining car by lunchtime, and Caleb even encourages the rat crew to go get some, if it's okay for them to eat. He also quietly asks them to take some to the Conductor, though not to tell her who it's from. It's not the most extravagant meal, but it's surprisingly good. The flavors are actually really well balanced.]

[In the afternoon, Caleb can be found reading a book in the lounge. There's also a truly ridiculous number of things sitting near him. Some of them are food, and some of them are not. Some of them may even belong to other people!]

lounge

[eternaldivide]

[ Mithos steps into the lounge since staying in his room all day he's learn only leads people to worry and ... there was enough worry to go around that he didn't need anyone extend it to him. Just existing somewhere have people worry less, right?

And everything is fine, until Mithos notices the staff that Caleb has near him. ]

Th... That's....

[ Why did that have to be here? The panflute was one thing but her staff? He's just ... going to slowly be reaching for it now.]

Lounge

[charmingheroine]

[Charlotte's restless, and while she isn't about to start drinking... the records are back here. Music might help. Maybe.

There's a Caleb back here too, apparently, and talking with him also might could help. She's about to say something else entirely when her eyes light on that scroll.]

How in the world - this is mine, but you might actually be interested in it.

[She isn't yet moving to hand it over, but unfurls it partway, reading over the words she'd once used to save two lives.]

[technicolourdifficulties]

[It was inevitable RGB would end up in the lounge; it is, after all, both the most interesting car on the entire train and the place where he sleeps. That he spots something in the veritable cornucopia of things Caleb has around his is a rather nice bonus.]

I say! You seem to have found something rather important there.

[Perhaps contrary to what one would expect to be picked up after being called "rather important", it's the little green boots that RGB goes for.]

She would have been terribly cross if I had gone and lost these for good.

[biddentodance]

[Well... Things are a bit awkward now, aren't they? The observant may have noticed, Minato hasn't been going to meals since the trial - or if he has, hasn't had more than water. And today, at least for the first half of the day (unless someone makes him leave), he can be found sitting seiza style to the side in the dining car - near the path to the front of the train. He....wants to give the rats an opportunity to get some vengeance, but also doubts they want him anywhere near the armaments or locomotive cars. And there isn't really room, in the luggage car. So here he is.

A bit later you can catch him carrying his haul back toward his room! Feel free to grab him for a chat as he passes through the dining hall again. Dining haul?

It's as he's entering the apartments car, headed for his own, that disaster strikes. See, most of the things he got are inconvenient to carry all as once. He's managed! But it's a different story when Yarnball, asshole cat that he is, gets quite literally underfoot. See Minato. See Minato trip and fall and the things he was carrying fly from his arms, scattering on the floor. Yarnball, for his part, runs yowling for the lounge - not in a "help my human he fell" way, in more of a "HOW DARE STARTLE ME" way.

Unfortunately for said human? When he tries to push himself up, his hand lands on the business end of that purple knitting needle. It's not much of an injury, but the thing is sharp, and it does break the skin. That's probably fine.]

[katzenpfote]

[A bowl of soup gets placed in front of Minato.]

Eat something. Please.

[1/2]

[strangerpeople]

[The first thing he will feel is pain.

The second thing he will feel is agony.

The third is-]

MONDAY

[strangerpeople]

[disregartist]

[Anyone who is in the lounge will find Lilac making tea. She is mixing the red honey-like substance into it.

She still doesn't look too happy.]

[charmingheroine]

[Her visible unhappiness is a spring breeze promising the start of summer break in just a couple of weeks, the sound of distant fireworks on July Fourth, the sight of a gate left hanging open just enough to sneak through. It is balm to the ragged edges of Charlotte's heart, though she knows it shouldn't be. It isn't nice to relish in suffering, and it isn't right, either... but it is childish, and really the woman is right, has been right, she does have a way of bringing that out in Charlotte.

And admitting to that, even internally, is bitter enough that simply watching their jailer act like a housemaid quickly loses its lustre.]

I've been wondering... what is that, anyway?

[otherworldlyking]

[ Well, they do need to get their memories back somehow.

He's definitely up since he's gotten more than enough rest and he'll yawn as he makes his stop. ]

Still looking like that? Your face will get stuck that way.

[ He's not a tea guy but it's whatever so he'll hold out his hand, prepared to take it. ]

[technicolourdifficulties]

...Ironic that such bitter medicine would look so sweet, isn't it?

[When did RGB get here? Only a moment ago? Or was he here the whole time and just decided to speak up now?]

i'm not late at all this is fine all things are fine,

[higanbana]

[Ris just watches her for a moment, hands folded behind her for once instead of in front.]

I'm a bit torn. There is a curious part of me that wants to question what, precisely, that substance is that you're having us ingest. And yet there is another that knows well enough I ought to simply ask for a cup and stay out of your way.

It's a bit strange. A few weeks ago, I would not have even seriously considered the former as more than a brief flight of fancy.

I do suppose I owe you my thanks, in that sense.

[otherworldlyking]

[ But really, McBurn rises at some point in the day...definitely not in the morning. But, towards the latter (re: noon) portion of the day, he has a few items with him. Very few - only a couple of them, really.

He's holding out a yellow scarf in particular. ]

...May as well toss it.

[ A...certain someone might want to stop him before he does that, though!!

Later in the day (evening) he can be found hanging out in the dining car, second class. He's looking out the window, with food in front of him, which he's going to eat, but he seems a cross between maybe thoughtful or...falling asleep.

He's also letting Tango hop along the tables as well because he's not the most responsible pet watcher. ]

[biddentodance]

[Um, yes, hello, he is coincidentally wandering by at the right moment. And does a double-take at the flash of yellow.]

Wait, that- That scarf. [Swallowing thickly.] Baggage claim?

dining car

[higanbana]

[Ris wanders into the dining car to grab her own meal, but winds up getting distracted by the robot kitty. Stopping to give Tango some of them good headscritches (although she can't help but wonder if he can even feel them), she glances over at McBurn.]

...You know, I cannot recommend a plate of food as a pillow. It would be a great hassle to remove the dried bits from your hair later.

[She's teasing.]

[unwittingking]

[So, over a month has gone by while they’ve been stuck here. Fifteen people whittled down to nine. It’s good that they didn’t lose more, yeah, but he wishes that they hadn’t lost anyone. He actually cares about the majority of people here, with only one notable exception. Being helpless to actually help the situation...he hates it.

But...it’s not like he can do anything now. He’s got no magic friends to call back on from home. Just the people on this train. Hopefully they can figure something out.

The majority of the day, King can be found in the lounge, reading a couple of the provided books, Lisa sleeping on his lap again. The books are probably garbage, but it’s not like he has many other choices, especially when trapped by a cat.

If you want to ask him anything, he’ll probably answer. He doesn’t really have a reason not to, now.]

[charmingheroine]

[Here, King. Have a sad girl curling up with her knees to her chest and her back against your chair.]

What would you do if you realized you were wrong about... everything?

TUESDAY

[strangerpeople]

if you tag, expect cw: abuse and some serious existential confusion

[higanbana]

[Fifteen have dwindled to nine, and while there are probably still some exceptions, it's likely that most of the remaining strangers have figured one another out. Their schedules, where they'll choose to relax.

If anyone's paid any attention to Ris, then they will notice something is wrong when she is not in any of her usual haunts at all on Tuesday. She's even gone from her blanket pile fairly early in the morning, which is surprising for a girl who typically wakes up at noon.

The door to room 14 is shut tight, although anyone who stops and puts an ear to it might hear soft, pained noises coming from inside. Whimpers, sobs, heavy ragged breaths. It depends on when anyone stops by.

Late that night, however, she can be found in the dining car, paler than usual, puffy-eyed, and cupping a glass of water with slightly trembling hands. And if that wasn't enough, anyone who seriously stops and looks will notice she isn't covering her right eye at all. There's something in the socket, ostensibly a glass eye, but there's no iris nor pupil detailing. It's all just white.

She's just kind of staring into the glass, not really paying attention to anything around her. She's probably going to jump out of her skin if anyone talks to her.]

WEDNESDAY

[strangerpeople]

BEEP BEEP MEETING TIME

[katzenpfote]

[It's barely past noon when Caleb rounds up everyone, between poking through public spaces and pounding on doors to drag out people from their rooms. No one is exempt, not even those who like to sleep in McBurn.]

We're meeting in the lounge. Now.

[The only person he doesn't directly invite is the Conductor, and while he could command her to stay away or to show up... he'd rather not exert that kind of pressure.]

We have much to discuss before we arrive. Anyone may have the floor, but please do not interrupt each other. Questions are fine, but a lot of this requires explanations.