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

MYSTIC MESSENGER SPOILERS

[strangerpeople]

[Instantly, Towa is slammed with a headache. Tremors. It's hot. It's cold. Colors swim around her, and the room does as well.

Sounds begin to warp into screams, into memories Towa would not wish on anyone. It hurts. It all hurts.




Congratulations, Towa, you just drank an incredibly powerful superdrug that might actually kill you, depending on your strength and how much you took.]

[overworker]

[It's probably the worst thing she's ever felt. It's like her body is split in two; feeling things that are completely different but simultaneously. Colors blur together and her legs become jelly under her. It's pain... nothing but pain. Yet she refuses to cry out.

But she drops to her knees. She's never been very strong. Not in the sense the people around her were.

Yet she breathes... in... and out... again and again as if forcing herself through it by muscle memory alone. She refuses to give in. But it's not good. She's not moving, but the small rise and fall of her chest as she forces her body to try and keep functioning against it's better judgement.]

[otherworldlyking]

[ He'll move in, actually reaching over to see if he can steady her so she doesn't fall forward on her face. He can tell just by looking at her that she's not in great condition. ]

...Is there anything that can be done?

[ Asking just in case, but... ]

[friedwings]

{ fOoLisH. . . thE "eLiXir of sAlVatIon" is NoT saFe, tHat iS wHy i kEeP iT aWay. . . }

[The golem doesn't hesitate. She quickly bends over, and her hands begin to glow purple. The more astute will notice that the tentacle is also glowing, and and it goes into the darkness. They might just be able to make something giant and crystalline out in the faint glow, a base of something that is nothing like the glass of the sun, as the glow brightens.

Towa also begins to glow the same color.]

[overworker]

Maybe... you should call it... something different.

[Talking is probably not the greatest idea now-- but it's a step up from her last decision. She's alive anyway, or so it seems. That's about as much as she can ask for right now.]

[otherworldlyking]

[ ......... ]

...Maybe you shouldn't have been an idiot and drank that elixir.

[overworker]

...okay, you might have a point.

[She has several regrets.]

Sorry for worrying you. I'm okay, really.

["Okay" as in not dead. Certainly not strong enough to stand just yet but-- better. Enough to open her eyes.]

[otherworldlyking]

[ ...yeah, he can't even refute she got him worried.

And kind of mad. Even last time in Eliza's trial doesn't match how he felt, so good job on making him have even that moment, Towa. ]

...Then let's get going.

[ Though he won't immediately walk off and actually wait to make sure she'll be able to stand properly. ]

[overworker]

...right.

[Part of her wants to say that maybe it would be better if she stayed behind. But-- that would just worry people more. So... she has to do what she can to move forward.]

Um... do you mind giving me your hand?

[She's not sure she trusts her legs to be able to do that much on their own right now.]

[otherworldlyking]

Nah, I don't mind at all.

[ He'll reach out to her, prepared to help her up and keep her steady and all that whenever she does go for it. It helps that he's pretty strong. ]

[overworker]

Hehe... thanks.

[It’s not the easiest, but she uses his strength to steady herself. Things are still very shaky in her vision, but she holds on so... she can at least stay upright.]

That was... highly unpleasant. I wouldn’t recommend it.

[It’s past, so it’s fine to joke about it right? It’s easier than dwelling on the very scary reality that she almost faced.]

[otherworldlyking]

[ He'll easily place another hand on her hip to help steady her. ]

Feel free to hold on, if you want. Or if you want to be carried, it could be easier.

[ At her words, there's a bit of silence. He kind of doesn't want to joke about it, because it made him feel so strongly, and if anything had happened to her...

Though, at the least he does understand it's her way of coping with it. ]

Doubt it'd be the type of hard drink I'd like, so I'll gladly pass.

[overworker]

[It helps. She immediately feels less likely to accidentally tilt over. The idea of needing to be carried is an embarrassing one though, and not one she can accept lightly. Yet... the fact that he’s offering in no uncertain terms says a great deal. There is no questioning that he means it.

And walking right now might just cause more trouble for him and everyone else.

....]

If it’s not too much trouble—well, I’d probably be less trouble if you carried me.

[Ultimately she has an idea what he’s thinking. She probably shouldn’t avoid it anyway.]

...I thought it might give me an advantage against what comes next. That it could possibly help. But... I didn’t think it through very carefully. I guess... the signs warning people about it were right.

[otherworldlyking]

[ McBurn wouldn't have bothered even under such circumstances normally, sure he could leave it up to someone else. But, there weren't many people who could carry her around, he's not foreseeing himself having to draw his sword soon (because he's not an ungrateful bastard), and he doesn't actually mind if it's her. ]

It wouldn't be much of a bother.

[ So, he'll prepare to gently help her into a position into being carried, knowing to be careful here. ]

Figured that might be one reason you did that. But, it's lucky that she went through the trouble to help you in the first place, so I'm not gonna complain that she did.

[ At least she didn't drink it without a reason. Still, he may have thought it was kind of hopeless. Towa really looked like she was on Heaven's Door. ]

MYSTIC MESSENGER SPOILERS also I'm stopping the redonkulous ransom capitalization you get the idea

[friedwings]

{ Rika named it. But that is irrelevant. I had created multiple warnings to not drink it. You ignored them, obviously. }

[The glowing stops.]

{ I sped up the time of your body's metabolic response. You should expel the effects of your foolish actions much quicker, and you will survive, but you will be very weak for the time being. }

[overworker]

...why did you save me?

[Fuck you Rika.]

[friedwings]

{ It is simple. Completely indiscriminate callousness despite your rashness, when I have a means to prevent your death in the here and now, is foolish. What purpose would such cruelty serve me?

There are enough troubles. }

[overworker]

I...

[Well this was all quite foolish on her part. What an idiot she was. It was clear that she wasn't cut out for this sort of thing. She could have just made things so much more difficult for everyone.]

...I'm sorry. Thank you...

[friedwings]

{ It is nothing worth mentioning. }

[overworker]

No, it... it is. I'm grateful.

[And that is definitely worth mentioning. She... owes an apology as well.]

I assumed that you were a threat, and I acted carelessly.