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

[charmingheroine]

[She doesn't want to turn away from everyone. But the Bright - Charlotte Aulin has never been one to be easily led, no matter how easy it would be to fold and allow that. She has to remember that much of herself.]

Looking at the track record that led us here, how do we know this will be any different from every time before?

[higanbana]

I don't know if we do. It feels like here, all we really have to go in gut instinct.

[Ris sighs, troubled.]

And even between all of us, I'm not sure we have a solid answer.

[otherworldlyking]

...What a pain.

[ Like the biggest pain. Multiuniversal pain. ]

[charmingheroine]

Twenty-three years is more than I thought I'd get.

[She sighs, looking down, and then up at McBurn, and at Ris. Her eyes itch,her voice is rough and her throat hurts. But she is alive, for now.]

Gut instinct isn't enough. We need data, and what we have so far shows a pattern of behavior that... doesn't bode well for us if we trust her.

[eternaldivide]

Do we let her do what she is planning or do we let nothing happen and ultimately die with this universe with the possibility of losing ourselves in the process.

Isn't that what our options come down to? We don't even have to "trust" her, do we? Just ... let her do what she wants.

[ Even if they die anyways a third possibility was there. And honestly just living and dying here doesn't really sound half bad, if it weren't for that blasted sun that could possibly brainwash them. ]

[charmingheroine]

When you put it that way, it's no choice at all, is it? Die and stop existing completely, or stand aside and watch something unpredictable happen.

[eternaldivide]

... Not too hard a choice if the unpredictable outcome is my only possibility out of death so I can continue to hold on to what I still have.

[ Once again noting that Mithos and Ris have been holding hands this entire time. ]

[biddentodance]

She's ready to take action, instead of wallowing in indecision. What we know so far - things she's done have all been a means to postpone having to decide. Like- ...my situation. Having to choose whether or not to kill him. Except if I had a means of putting off that deadline.

Which means she's about to change her pattern.

[charmingheroine]

Minato, I had power like to hers once. Maybe not the same scale, but... I could stop time, and plenty of other things bent to my will, too. And she's not the only one so powerful that we've met, though the scale is different for Lilac, too.

[She doesn't want to say this. She doesn't want to hurt him. But if she doesn't say it, she knows she'll regret it for however long her life is after this moment.]

When I messed up, I did my best to fix it myself, or make amends. I didn't beg for help from voices in the dark and fear what they might do to me. I didn't devote myself to love to a point where I ripped my own heart out. [Though that was a near thing, really, considering these past weeks.] I can't understand why they did those things, and it makes me wonder if she really will decide, or if she'll just feed us to her shining god once we've all relaxed....

[biddentodance]

[He doesn't understand the why behind a lot of things people in this universe do. It's all so different. Nothing makes any sense. But he does understand feelings.]

...Took responsibility for your actions, and found a solution with your own hands..... Wish things were that easy. Not sure about ripping out hearts, but...

Think about it like this situation, right now. This choice affects everyone and everything, and it's all on us. She's waiting for an answer. We have no way to know the outcome either way - if we'll be okay, or if it'll all be over. Maybe there's other ways out of this, maybe not, but we're low on time and low on options. We can put off choosing and debate all we like, but eventually the decision has to be made.

[It all comes down to this. It all comes down to the Empress's choice. It all comes down to whether or not he kills Ryoji. There is no frying pan, it's all fire, everywhere, like walking on the surface of the sun.]

Charlotte.....what does your heart tell you?

[katzenpfote]

She likes cats, you should trust her.

[Is he joking? Hard to tell.]

[charmingheroine]

If we survive this, I'm starting to think I shouldn't leave you and Jonathan unsupervised in the same place....

[She's definitely taking it as a joke, at least.]

[katzenpfote]

Good, it'll distract you from the dicks Jester draws on your stuff.

[overworker]

She saved me, even though she didn't have any reason to. And if she hadn't done what she did... I probably wouldn't be here now.

Maybe it's not much, but... I think it shows that she's willing to change.

[charmingheroine]

[She doesn't quite meet Towa's eyes, but nods.]

It's a start, at least.

[Her voice feels like... quite frankly, in her current exhausted state, it just hurts, and if pressed she'll insist that is why her voice is so hushed.]

[higanbana]

You're right about that, but we have no data supporting that distrusting her would be helpful to us in any way, either.

I suppose that's the question. What happens, if we say no?

[thricerenewed]

{ I would let you go. To leave, and go back to where you see fit in this universe. To your loved ones. To nowhere. Wherever you wish. You will not be put back into the Little Courtesy.

I know it is not much. It is what can be done. }

[charmingheroine]

"This universe". Tell me, if we do trust you, do you have any hope that we'll be able to go home?

[She has been crying, off and on, for an entire day. At this point she should just expect the waterworks will start with any emotional change at all. She still looks furious, and this time she does try to dry her eyes.]

[katzenpfote]

... No. But I do know a friend of mine would be disappointed if I didn't go on faith.

Several friends, actually.

[Just. Tilts his head towards Minato.]

I think she's ready to try to change.

[otherworldlyking]

[ ... ]

...What's made you so sure?

[katzenpfote]

The way she speaks, it's not... destructive. There's still humanity left in there. If she can lean on that... there's plenty of reason humans are known as one of the more stubborn and innovative races where I come from. And if she's willing to look to others to help...

... There is always a solution. You need only look for it hard enough.

[He falls silent for a long while before speaking again.]

And... she reminds me of... me. In the asylum. Alone, afraid, lashing out, until someone reached out. And I am trying to change, even if I might sometimes fail. It is a process, but one that needs to be started.

[otherworldlyking]

...Could be a waste of time to put your faith in someone like that, anyway.

[ Despite his seemingly dismissive response, he's made his decision. ]

[higanbana]

The only friends that "I" have ever known are you lot.

If we're to be honest, I don't trust anyone else even half as far as I could throw them.

But I trust you. So I'll follow your lead, whatever you all decide.

[katzenpfote]

... That's a fair answer, and I understand it.

[...]

Do you want to hold Frumpkin for a little bit?

[higanbana]

...The offer is appreciated, but I am fine for now.

I have all I need to hold on to.

[It's notable that she has not left Mithos' side, nor let go of him, this whole time.]