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

[friedwings]

My hair...? You want to...see my eyes?

Why...?

[unwittingking]

I’d...like to see what color they are.

[Is it a blatant lie? No, not technically. Is it the complete truth? No. Does he actually want to risk getting mind-controlled if he tells the truth? Not in the slightest.]

cw: body horror

[friedwings]

....................

[Slowly, and clearly confused, she moves her bangs.






























Those are not eyes THOSE ARE NOT-]

[unwittingking]

[JUST

SUDDENLY STUMBLING BACK]

What-what the hell even was that?!

[HE EXPECTED GREEN EYES THAT MAYBE GLOWED NOT THAT]

[friedwings]

What...was what?

[unwittingking]

That was-those weren’t eyes! Those-those looked like stones!

[WHAT

THE

FUCK]

[friedwings]

St...stones...?

[Slowly, her hand comes up to where her eyes would be. She touches, and...

...

she starts to shake.]

[biddentodance]

...How....long have you been working at Perdurance...?

[He has a feeling there is no good answer to that...]

[1/2]

[friedwings]

H...haaa...what...

[Panic: start.]

What is wrong with m-

[2/2]

[friedwings]

EEP-*

[There is a thin black line around her neck, like a string. Her squeak is cut off mid-sentence, and she promptly falls to the floor with a thud.]

.......................

[otherworldlyking]

[ Oh, she's dead (?)

If nothing happens following that, he'll look to others. Not his problem. ]

[friedwings]

[THANKS ASSHOLE SHE LOVES YOU TOO]

[otherworldlyking]

[ Doki doki ]

[biddentodance]

Wha--

[The sound he makes- it's a blend of shock and horror. Not again. He'd barely known her, but someone is dying in front of him again, and he could do nothing, nothing, no, no, no, no no no nonononono--]

[katzenpfote]

Minato! Step away!

[biddentodance]

B-But...she...

[Maybe it's not too late, maybe he can still....he kneels.]

[overworker]

Wh-what the name of Aidios was that?

[???]

[1/3]

[friedwings]

[For an eternal moment, she is still. She isn't breathing. She isn't doing anything.

MC, the....MC, is

[2/3]

[friedwings]

suddenly and jerkily standing onto her feet like a puppet, before straightening up and cracking her neck.

The cracking sounds like rocks scratching against one another.]

[3/3]

[friedwings]

[From behind the walls furthest from the bridge, there is a rumble as she speaks again.

This time, her voice is distorted, like a tape being sped up and rewound at the same time, making her voice echo in multiple timbres.

Whatever is talking, it is not a human voice.]

{ I taKe tHaT yOU wIlL noT bE hAviNg thOsE...meAtbAllS. }

[unwittingking]

[...well FUCK

Just going to run up to her and hope that she is NOT, in fact, dead, just passed out from stress.]

[katzenpfote]

Move away!

[technicolourdifficulties]

If anyone has told you that you have a stony gaze, I suppose now you know why.

[Because someone had to make the joke. Man though, that's really disturbing to see in a human head.]

[otherworldlyking]

[ That was a terrible joke, RGB, but it doesn't make it any less hilaribad. ]

[unwittingking]

[...she...she didn’t know? How...how would she not know that? Do they...still work like normal eyes??]

Okay, uh, don’t panic! At least you can still through see them! It’s not too bad!

[He’s...bad, at damage control, when he’s still panicking.]