The Fifteen Strangers Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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15strangers2019-08-16 10:56 pm
strangerpeople) wrote in 15strangers2019-08-16 10:56 pm
Entry tags:
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.]
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[Also running to try and catch her, also failing-- why did she- why did she pull a him like that?!]
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You've got a gorgeous, smart, disciplined, amazing girl right there.
[She jerks her chin towards Towa, to make her words unmistakable, distantly hoping that doesn't make the bleeding worse somehow.]
Why do you keep looking at me?
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Because you're important to me... I-I'm sorry, know it's selfish, but I....can't... Asked me what I want, earlier. I want you to live. I want you to live, as the Charlotte I know. And I...want to fight, so you can be, right up until the end.
Know I'm not him. Can't come close. But...please. Don't throw your self away.
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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!
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[He doesn't talk about his past - sure, he's explained his connection to Death to a few people, but the part after that. No one needs or wants to know that part. And yet here he is, almost spilling over.]
...Not much of a singer, but....song I know. Can't get it out of my head. First chorus has a line - "I once ran away from the god of fear, and he chained me to despair". Last time through the chorus, though... [He's quiet, as he starts singing - the others may be clustered around, but this is just for her. He's untrained, unskilled - a little wavering, shy and scared. But it's a nice voice.]
I will burn my dread... This time I'll grapple down that god of fear, and throw him into hell's fire. I will burn my dread. I will shrug the pain and run 'til I see the sunlight again. Oh, I will run, burning all regret and dread, and I will face the sun with the pride of the living...
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[She squeezes her eyes shut, then takes him by the wrists as she opens them again. There's no point in trying to dry her eyes now. She slips her hands down to hold his, pushing away fear of glass meeting whatever hideous strength she'd accidentally found to knock Caleb out what feels like a lifetime ago, and squeezes them gently.]
I don't want to send you off to die, I don't want to... I want you to teach me the rest of that song. I want to see a sunrise so gold and orange that it makes your hair look like it's almost the color mine is, and...
[Her voice is pretty much shot, and when it fails this time, she doesn't fight it. She forces herself to smile, even as it hurts with the way she split open her own lip earlier. She smiles, and it doesn't quite reach her eyes, but... you're supposed to be able to smile for the people you care for, at a time like this, aren't you?]
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...Worship the sun in Japan, you know. Shintoism's most important deity is our sun goddess, Amaterasu-oomikami. So....we'll face her sun, when we're done here. Alright?
[The golden, protective sun of their own Earths. There will be a way. Minato feels stronger than he has in weeks. Like he's been dragged deeper and deeper into the Pacific, but he's finally found sand and rock, and can stand again. Charlotte pushes herself to smile, it doesn't reach her eyes - but Minato's reaches his.]
Will teach you the rest, when this is over. I promise.
[Of course she has no way to know just how important promises are to him. But well....he can't teach her
anything if either of them die.]
I THOUGHT I HIT SEND
I... I'll hold you to that. I really will.
[She'd have been more firm in how she said it, perhaps a bit louder, but she's honestly starting to worry she'll lose her voice if she pushes herself. Not that she needs it, now.
So instead, she smiles back. It is not a bright grin, it is exhausted, it is capitulation and several simultaneous desperate attempts at hope, but it does reach her eyes, this time. Tears still fall, but she smiles at Minato, and that is, itself, a promise.]