FINAL TRIAL

[strangerpeople]

FINAL TRIAL

[The Strangers manage to escape. By the time anyone has realized they have left, the Analemma is already on a course to a new destination, one not intended by their Conductor-who was certainly surprised to find their ride gone, hours later.

Cardia has turned off radar and other equipment that would allow anyone to find the train easily. There is no barrier around this train, so everyone can see the Clockwork Sun as it gets closer and closer.

They aren't going to London, obviously. Cardia manages to explain that, originally, the Throne of Hours was located there, but after Victoria became Twice-Renewed, the Throne was ordered moved closer to the Sun. Now, it is connected to the station called Sunspur-a desolate place, formerly an exhibition hall, where only the Sun's engineers and wayward captains now go. No one dares to cross the bridge that connects the Throne to it, when they are there.

That will change, but not immediately. Even at top speed, it will take several hours for the train to reach its destination. Cardia suggests everyone relax in the Lounge of this new train. Apparently, this one was going to pick up its newest passengers very shortly, and so the bar and kitchens are stocked with food and drink, at least.

There is much to talk about. Much to look through, and much to consider. The past four weeks have been difficult to process, but the evidence from Perdurance has been especially daunting. It only shows just how stark the situation is-and it's up to the Strangers to figure out just what they will do when they do, at last, confront Her Enduring Majesty.
After all.

Whatever happens, a reckoning cannot be postponed. Not indefinitely. And the bill is almost due...]





[It's time! The objectives are simple in this trial: untangle the story of this place and decide what to ultimately do when they finally confront Victoria, the Mastermind of the Little Courtesy! It will not be easy and the truth, as ever, will not be a light one.

Will they triumph? Will they go home? What else might happen? What else could be in store? There's only way to find out!

Have fun, and good luck! And remember-

All shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.]

Comments

[biddentodance]

...Don't....know much about love, but... Don't know that I can believe this is it...

cw suicide + catholic guilt

[charmingheroine]

Love?

[To hell with trying to not start crying again, she can't keep it at bay any longer. She'd almost killed herself - had tried to kill herself, to do something always, always forbidden, and here's Ris talking about love, about that being the reason behind what she'd said - it's all too much to bear.

What little composure she'd pulled together and aimed at Mithos and McBurn is gone. She seizes Ris' hand in both of hers, and bows her head, not caring where blood ends up so long as she can just hold that delicate hand to her forehead like she's a fallen knight in some storybook.]

Love? There's no such thing as "love" in this world. If it appears here something kills it, or twists it up, or... or it's not the right kind and you end up...

[You end up bleeding, halfway to folded in two on a train car floor holding a girl's hand like she's a noble lady who could grant you a pardon, sobbing to the point where you can barely breathe.]

[eternaldivide]

[ Mithos frowns. He ... doesn't like that answer at all. ]

Your face, for one. Do you not notice that part of it is glass? And ... a friend of yours that I met was also turning into glass, as well.

Someone who thought of V as their best friend.

[technicolourdifficulties]

...Is that truly what V wants though? If he is as devoted to you as you are to him, I would think that he would want you to live.

[This... hurts. It makes him think of someone who he would likely never see again, and it hurts.]

[15unknowns]

His best friend...oh! Jumin!

[She brightens up.]

How is he doing?

[uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu u h]

[15unknowns]

I...I saw her recently!

[katzenpfote]

It wasn't your own memory?

[15unknowns]

Our love...it's sublime. It changes history, it-

If you have that kind of love, why would you let it go?

[katzenpfote]

I'm on it.

[He pulls his out and starts to stem the blood flow.]

[15unknowns]

But...I am safe...I'm the Empress...

[1/2]

[15unknowns]

I...I am alive. And warm...and-

[2/2]

[strangerpeople]

[Suddenly, there is shouting coming from the bridge.]

[overworker]

Your face is already half gone. Maybe right now you're fine but you won't be able to keep living this way.

I'm sure... better than anyone... he knows.

[biddentodance]

...Because the happiness and wellbeing of the person important to me is more important than my own. Because if being around me causes them pain, then....I'd rather die, then let them suffer.

Highness - is that the proper address? - tell me about V-san?

MYSTIC MESSENGER SPOILERS

[15unknowns]

My...face?

[She goes to lift her hands. She can't. They, too, are glass.]

Oh...hm.

I...it's a good thing...I can't blind him again!

[She starts to laugh.]

[technicolourdifficulties]

[Welp. That sounds like it might be their cue to either get ready to fight or run.]

MYSTIC MESSENGER SPOILERS

[15unknowns]

...He's an artist. Kind, and warm, and bright. Just like the sun. It's what brought me to him. It in an art gallery! He wanted to give me a piece he made for free. I wouldn't let him, so I bought him a coffee.

And so we were dating. Engaged. But...I'm not a good person. In reality...I'm a demon. I exist to hurt.

[Another tear starts to form.]

I hurt him terribly, and yet he still loved me. Begged to to anything for me so I wouldn't hurt others. But I didn't listen. I thought he was burning me up.

Then he died, and I came to an epiphany: V had been my sun, and I couldn't live without his light after all...

[eternaldivide]

[ ........ why ]

He ... didn't say much. Was .. Jumin always someone with little words and moved around sluggishly?

[ He figures telling her that he did nothing but stare at V wouldn't end well so let's ... work his way around that. ]

[overworker]

No it's not! If you're gone then... he'll be alone. And it will have been his doing.

You said you killed him once... do you really want to leave him with those same feelings you had to endure if you die?

[charmingheroine]

Thank you, for answering me. I'm not sure why you think so highly of me, but... don't you do that either. Don't you dare.

You know why I wanted to make sure Violet, or Millicent, or whatever... you know why I wanted to make sure she didn't die, don't you? I wanted what we did to have a witness who knew what it meant. I thought we stood a chance... all of the destruction, all the loss, I wanted to leave all that knowledge inside one person.

[She's already in tears again. It may just not stop until she's made of something that cannot weep.]

And now you're all determined to go die and I - I can't believe myself, I can't believe I wanted to make someone suffer this!

[15unknowns]

Oh, of course, always! He was always very blunt. Unless it was about his cat.

[chuckle]

It's funny, I actually bought Elizabeth the 3rd for him so he'd have a companion! I bet he's still spoiling her rotten!

[overworker]

[Towa's eyes dart over in the direction the sounds are coming from. If she has to defend someone, she has her gun and knives-- she's ready if it comes down to it.]

[15unknowns]

Why would you think I'd leave him again?

[1/2]

[strangerpeople]

[The sound of running, sounding like a bumrush--and--]

[katzenpfote]

Are you aware that your ascension has caused rifts in the worlds? That it has broken up planets?