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ooc | continuations and private threads
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[He leans in very close to her face, pushing that sword into her knowing that it will hurt like hell but won't hit anything vital. At least not yet. He's testing just how long she will keep that mouth covered.]
Remember this..I'm not the one who lied to him. I may have hid who I was but I never gave a false name. Never lied about where I have been or who I knew. All the stories I told were truth. Whereas you told the biggest lie of all. Lying about your sight just to stay by his side.
[He wants to make sure she realizes that she is just as much to blame as anyone else. That her sins are also on the table.]
Remember this..I'm not the one who lied to him. I may have hid who I was but I never gave a false name. Never lied about where I have been or who I knew. All the stories I told were truth. Whereas you told the biggest lie of all. Lying about your sight just to stay by his side.
[He wants to make sure she realizes that she is just as much to blame as anyone else. That her sins are also on the table.]
[ Her fingers tighten against her cheeks, digging into the skin as the scream she'd been about to make chokes off into a whimper as the sword scrapes against her ribcage. Bile rises in her throat at the sensation. She squirms, trying to pull away, pull herself off the blade without moving her hands, but she can't get purchase.
He's wrong. He's wrong, he's wrong. ]
I just wanted-- [ I just wanted to be with him, she wants to say, behind her hands. Hadn't Daozhang told her to leave once she'd told the truth? Pity was all she'd had as leverage. She hadn't hurt anyone, she... She wants to snap back, defend herself, accuse him, remind him of his deeds as though enough repetitions would make him realise what he's done. He's wrong. She hates him, and he's going to kill her for his stupid obsession with a man who was too good for the both of them.
And with a sword, there's nothing she can do to--
The sword, she realises with sudden clarity, that is inside her, and lunges forward, panicked mind barely registering the tearing within her chest. Her hands come away from her face, stiffening into claws, as she goes for his face, his eyes, his mouth. ]
He's wrong. He's wrong, he's wrong. ]
I just wanted-- [ I just wanted to be with him, she wants to say, behind her hands. Hadn't Daozhang told her to leave once she'd told the truth? Pity was all she'd had as leverage. She hadn't hurt anyone, she... She wants to snap back, defend herself, accuse him, remind him of his deeds as though enough repetitions would make him realise what he's done. He's wrong. She hates him, and he's going to kill her for his stupid obsession with a man who was too good for the both of them.
And with a sword, there's nothing she can do to--
The sword, she realises with sudden clarity, that is inside her, and lunges forward, panicked mind barely registering the tearing within her chest. Her hands come away from her face, stiffening into claws, as she goes for his face, his eyes, his mouth. ]
[He smirks as she plunges herself forward, essentially sealing her death. But instead of just allowing her to enjoy it quickly, he pulls back the blade. Stepping away from those claws and ripping the sword from her chest to allow the blood to flow freely. There is that opportunity he had been waiting for. The hands now going for him instead of covering the mouth. The sword now free of her body.
In that instant, the sword goes where it has always been intended for. A motion, a flick of a wrist..a skill that he has honed over years of making humans into walking corpses. The person never sees it coming until its too late. And she will no longer need that tongue when she is dead.]
You wanted to take advantage of his kindness. So how does that make you any better then me?
[All he wanted was to be by his side. Of course that's not how it started. In the beginning he was driven by revenge, by knocking Xingchen down to his level. But over time that changed. Years of peace had been between them. If only she hadn't lead Song Xichen there..]
In that instant, the sword goes where it has always been intended for. A motion, a flick of a wrist..a skill that he has honed over years of making humans into walking corpses. The person never sees it coming until its too late. And she will no longer need that tongue when she is dead.]
You wanted to take advantage of his kindness. So how does that make you any better then me?
[All he wanted was to be by his side. Of course that's not how it started. In the beginning he was driven by revenge, by knocking Xingchen down to his level. But over time that changed. Years of peace had been between them. If only she hadn't lead Song Xichen there..]
[ Blood fills her mouth, pours from her lips as she coughs wetly. It's rushing up from her throat and out from the stump of her tongue both, dripping onto the nicest piece of clothing she's ever owned, and she rasps a word, another, insensible to the pain.
You're a murderer, she tries to say, and you're rotten. Not he'd never have been happy with you once he knew, but he could have forgiven me, and we'll never know now; she doesn't have the coherence left to think it consciously.
She purses her mouth closed, head swimming and limbs growing cold, and then spits as much of the welling blood towards him as she can. ]
You're a murderer, she tries to say, and you're rotten. Not he'd never have been happy with you once he knew, but he could have forgiven me, and we'll never know now; she doesn't have the coherence left to think it consciously.
She purses her mouth closed, head swimming and limbs growing cold, and then spits as much of the welling blood towards him as she can. ]
[He's not scared of a little blood. Doesn't care how it will stain the front of that red sweatshirt. He did his duty during the event and he could easily afford a new wardrobe now. The blood on his sweatshirt a symbol of his chance to have a sweet moment of revenge.
Calling him rotten or a murderer is hardly enough to get a rise out of him. Those are words he already knows and accepts about himself. He's killed hundreds at this point, one more is barely another hashmark on the long list. But she can't say those words aloud, so all he can do is assume the names she is calling him.]
I would gladly kill you over and over again. Maybe if we meet again, I'll just go ahead and pluck out those eyes of yours. Since you chose to pretend you can't see..we should just make it so next time. Let you taste what it is like to be in Xingchen's shoes instead of just lying about it.
Calling him rotten or a murderer is hardly enough to get a rise out of him. Those are words he already knows and accepts about himself. He's killed hundreds at this point, one more is barely another hashmark on the long list. But she can't say those words aloud, so all he can do is assume the names she is calling him.]
I would gladly kill you over and over again. Maybe if we meet again, I'll just go ahead and pluck out those eyes of yours. Since you chose to pretend you can't see..we should just make it so next time. Let you taste what it is like to be in Xingchen's shoes instead of just lying about it.
[ If her heart had blood remaining with which to beat, she'd use it all to curse him. Instead, she sways, listless, slumps over against the seat, fingers twitching weakly and lips moving with the last impulse to... to... she doesn't know.
Wasn't this worse? Couldn't she have just died, there, at the riverside? She loses consciousness by the time he says Xiao Xingchen's name, upper body lurching over until she's almost bowed before him. ]
Wasn't this worse? Couldn't she have just died, there, at the riverside? She loses consciousness by the time he says Xiao Xingchen's name, upper body lurching over until she's almost bowed before him. ]
Holidays were exhausting. Through all the highs and lows of their time on the island, that was the conclusion A-Qing had come to. The hot springs had been wonderful, camping fun and the beach even more so. The weird cave...
Well, she didn't want to think about most of that. And, in fact, had come up with an excellent way to avoid it: namely, clinging to the memory of Wester's Monster World game.
Now, she could have asked Wester. And, okay, she was planning on raising it, eventually. But with the cave so fresh in her mind, it was more than she could deal with. So, instead, there had to be someone who'd know about a game that popular, or even one like it, and she set out to ask about it. She needed people who frequented the games carriage, was the conclusion she came to.
The ambush was set. When the door slid open, she perked up from where she'd dragged a beanbag chair over to the nearest section of floor.
"Excuse me!" Best to be polite, she figured, "Do you know how to play any 'tabletop dice games'?"
Well, she didn't want to think about most of that. And, in fact, had come up with an excellent way to avoid it: namely, clinging to the memory of Wester's Monster World game.
Now, she could have asked Wester. And, okay, she was planning on raising it, eventually. But with the cave so fresh in her mind, it was more than she could deal with. So, instead, there had to be someone who'd know about a game that popular, or even one like it, and she set out to ask about it. She needed people who frequented the games carriage, was the conclusion she came to.
The ambush was set. When the door slid open, she perked up from where she'd dragged a beanbag chair over to the nearest section of floor.
"Excuse me!" Best to be polite, she figured, "Do you know how to play any 'tabletop dice games'?"
In truth Uta wasn't someone who particularly played games like those in the game carriage, but time was long here, and there was only so much he could m, I'vedraw. He'd started doing puzzles when he found himself a bit too bored. He'd really wished that there was a shogi or a go set in the game room and he could play against someone, but he hadn't found that person yet.
He froze at the voice, looking to the owner. He'd seen her around but he couldn't say that he had ever talked to her before, so he was a little surprised she addressed him.
"Ah, uh." He paused and straightened up as he considered the question. "Tabletop role playing games?" Another pause. "I had a friend of a friend who played them. I've heard some things about them. Is there something you want to know?"
He froze at the voice, looking to the owner. He'd seen her around but he couldn't say that he had ever talked to her before, so he was a little surprised she addressed him.
"Ah, uh." He paused and straightened up as he considered the question. "Tabletop role playing games?" Another pause. "I had a friend of a friend who played them. I've heard some things about them. Is there something you want to know?"
She'd thought about how to ask, so she nodded at his first question, and launched into an answer eagerly, leaning forward from where she was nested cross-legged in the centre of the beanbag like a baby bird.
"I'd never heard of them, but on the island, I saw a memory, and it was of a role playing game. I want to play, but you need a storyteller... Mister, do you know anyone who can do that?"
"I'd never heard of them, but on the island, I saw a memory, and it was of a role playing game. I want to play, but you need a storyteller... Mister, do you know anyone who can do that?"
Oh, she was really playing this up wasn't she?
Uta rubbed the back of his neck as he considered it. He didn't have a particular soft spot for teenagers, but if he could get a gaggle of the kids to like him it would probably be useful. Besides, this was something that would probably kill quite a bit of time on the train and it could end up being fun, maybe. Or it would just irritate the piss out of him. Only one way to find out.
He slipped both of his hands into his pants pockets. "I don't know if there is anyone on the train who has experience, but I would be willing to give it a try. You will need to find some more people to play with, though. I don't think it would work well if it's just you and me."
Uta rubbed the back of his neck as he considered it. He didn't have a particular soft spot for teenagers, but if he could get a gaggle of the kids to like him it would probably be useful. Besides, this was something that would probably kill quite a bit of time on the train and it could end up being fun, maybe. Or it would just irritate the piss out of him. Only one way to find out.
He slipped both of his hands into his pants pockets. "I don't know if there is anyone on the train who has experience, but I would be willing to give it a try. You will need to find some more people to play with, though. I don't think it would work well if it's just you and me."
Hook, line...
A-Qing was, on the balance of probabilities, reasonably sure he was humouring her. He didn't seem particularly excited; his eyes didn't light up the way Wester's did when she mentioned the games. But maybe that'd be better, for a training game? She had the feeling that if she ruined Wester's game they might actually cry. This guy didn't seem too bothered. The important thing was, he was agreeing to it. The rest she could work with.
"Leave that to me," she assured him. "I know some people. Do you need anything for it? I saw a lot of paper and books in the memory, but I can't really help with that."
A-Qing was, on the balance of probabilities, reasonably sure he was humouring her. He didn't seem particularly excited; his eyes didn't light up the way Wester's did when she mentioned the games. But maybe that'd be better, for a training game? She had the feeling that if she ruined Wester's game they might actually cry. This guy didn't seem too bothered. The important thing was, he was agreeing to it. The rest she could work with.
"Leave that to me," she assured him. "I know some people. Do you need anything for it? I saw a lot of paper and books in the memory, but I can't really help with that."
Honestly he wouldn't really be excited unless she suggested murdering everyone on the train - he was a relatively laid back individual in most cases. It took a lot to get him excited. He'd apologize at his lack of enthusiasm if he knew she was considering there.
"I can order the rule book and we can share it, but I imagine everyone will need dice. Or, at least, we should have a few sets of dice that we can share with each other." Everyone should have a notebook from the train, as well as writing utensils. Unless they didn't want to use it for multiple things, of course. "Notebooks too, I guess, if people don't want to use the notebook the train gave them."
"I can order the rule book and we can share it, but I imagine everyone will need dice. Or, at least, we should have a few sets of dice that we can share with each other." Everyone should have a notebook from the train, as well as writing utensils. Unless they didn't want to use it for multiple things, of course. "Notebooks too, I guess, if people don't want to use the notebook the train gave them."
Well, he was doomed to relaxation, in that case. At least until the game started, given Buttercup's favourite movies. Dice, though... she considered just how many games were stacked on the shelves in this room.
"I'll get some dice. And tell the others to bring their notebooks."
How long would it take to arrange? If he was buying something, that set it back to the next platform stop, which... some rapid counting, and she relaxed. Not too far off at all. Since it looked like she was going to get her way, she beamed. "We'll find you on platform day, okay? Don't make yourself hard to find, or I'll have to call you on the ICPs."
"I'll get some dice. And tell the others to bring their notebooks."
How long would it take to arrange? If he was buying something, that set it back to the next platform stop, which... some rapid counting, and she relaxed. Not too far off at all. Since it looked like she was going to get her way, she beamed. "We'll find you on platform day, okay? Don't make yourself hard to find, or I'll have to call you on the ICPs."
Having secured a storyteller, the next step was-- well, finding dice, for sure, but she suspected that might take a while, and she wanted to wait until there were less people in the Games carriage before she started ransacking boxes.
So, the next step was finding other people to play. A-Qing could recognise most people by sight, and had a good map of who to avoid and who to approach when she needed something, but finding people who'd want to play a story game, and people she'd want to play a story game with...
Her first choices were the girls she'd met who'd seemed to at least enjoy watching movies. But not just blindly enjoyed them! The ones who'd had commentary. A bit of asking around later, and she appeared in the dining car calling Alice's name, and the luggage car, where she scrambled into Buttercup's secret base.
"We're friends, right?"
So, the next step was finding other people to play. A-Qing could recognise most people by sight, and had a good map of who to avoid and who to approach when she needed something, but finding people who'd want to play a story game, and people she'd want to play a story game with...
Her first choices were the girls she'd met who'd seemed to at least enjoy watching movies. But not just blindly enjoyed them! The ones who'd had commentary. A bit of asking around later, and she appeared in the dining car calling Alice's name, and the luggage car, where she scrambled into Buttercup's secret base.
"We're friends, right?"
Uta's perhaps somewhat confused expression gave way to his usual polite smile as it was clear that her zany plan was coming together as she wanted. He had a subtle feeling that he was going to enjoy this more than he was expecting to, but it would depend on who all she wrangled into this misadventure.
"Alright. I'll try to grab a quiet cabin, but if I fail at that I will be in my room. Fair?"
"Alright. I'll try to grab a quiet cabin, but if I fail at that I will be in my room. Fair?"
She was indeed in her fort. She wasn't avoiding Mami. That was definitely not what she was doing. She was just... Thinking. Not reading or writing or even playing one of the small solo games she had found in the games carriage. Just lying on her back thinking.
Holidays were stupid, that was her conclusion of the whole mess.
She sat up though when she heard footsteps and a moment later, there was A-Qing.
"We do be being?"
She sounds genuinely confused. It had been weird enough with Peter but this girl. Sure they had made a secret base on the island and it had been nice to sleep next to someone in a tent for a few days. They watched movies together as well and that was fun and Qing was funny.
But were they friends? It's not a question she has an answer to.
Holidays were stupid, that was her conclusion of the whole mess.
She sat up though when she heard footsteps and a moment later, there was A-Qing.
"We do be being?"
She sounds genuinely confused. It had been weird enough with Peter but this girl. Sure they had made a secret base on the island and it had been nice to sleep next to someone in a tent for a few days. They watched movies together as well and that was fun and Qing was funny.
But were they friends? It's not a question she has an answer to.
Ah, she caught on. Bummer. It would have been funny if she managed to walk away from this without getting his name or anything.
“Room 4:A. Uta. What is your name?”
“Room 4:A. Uta. What is your name?”
Honestly, if it hadn't been for the fact that A-Qing had been calling out her name before saying that, Alice would have been so sure that the girl had been looking for someone else and just mistook her for that person due to blindness.
After all.. Alice? Having friends? Those two things certainly don't go together most of the time except for when said friends are imaginary. And with two of them having disappeared only recently, the word stings a little.
Thankfully - or so she thinks - Alice doesn't have to worry about the momentary hurt look in her eyes as she sips from her tea. Not like the girl can see it.
"You'd consider someone a friend so easily?" Usually there might have been a bit more bite to it, but A-Qing is young. Alice can't fault her for it. It's more just a question than a snappy comeback. "Why are you asking? Do you need help with something?"
See, she'd rather answer requests for help ten times over than having to deal with someone calling her a friend.
After all.. Alice? Having friends? Those two things certainly don't go together most of the time except for when said friends are imaginary. And with two of them having disappeared only recently, the word stings a little.
Thankfully - or so she thinks - Alice doesn't have to worry about the momentary hurt look in her eyes as she sips from her tea. Not like the girl can see it.
"You'd consider someone a friend so easily?" Usually there might have been a bit more bite to it, but A-Qing is young. Alice can't fault her for it. It's more just a question than a snappy comeback. "Why are you asking? Do you need help with something?"
See, she'd rather answer requests for help ten times over than having to deal with someone calling her a friend.
As long as A-Qing could definitely not be avoiding at least three people, then Buttercup could be not avoiding Mami, and she wouldn't breathe a word about it.
Sometimes you just wanted to live in your pokey little bag castle and hate the world, right?
"We are," she affirmed, as though saying it would make it true. Technically, Buttercup not immediately denying it was all the proof she needed. She scrunched herself properly into the space. "Hey, tell me. Have you ever heard of 'tabletop games'?"
Sometimes you just wanted to live in your pokey little bag castle and hate the world, right?
"We are," she affirmed, as though saying it would make it true. Technically, Buttercup not immediately denying it was all the proof she needed. She scrunched herself properly into the space. "Hey, tell me. Have you ever heard of 'tabletop games'?"
"It's been ages, so why not?" she counters, having noted the hurt look and toned herself down accordingly. She doesn't want personal validation, she wants people to play a game with her. She can be hurt in turn about that later - but not much. Friends aren't really something she understands either. It just seemed like a good thing to say.
Yeah.
She shakes herself out of it.
"Whatever. It doesn't matter, I wanted to ask, have you ever heard of 'tabletop games'?"
Yeah.
She shakes herself out of it.
"Whatever. It doesn't matter, I wanted to ask, have you ever heard of 'tabletop games'?"
Oh. Was that all there was to it? They just had to say it. She tilted her head as A-Qing entered the fort.
"Tabletop games? Do they be being like board games?"
After all they were played on a table.
"Tabletop games? Do they be being like board games?"
After all they were played on a table.
"Well-- Kind of," she hedged, because her planned script really only had options for 'yes' or 'no' there. "There are dice. Anyway. You sit at a table, and you each make a character, apart from the person who's telling the story the characters are in... and then the storyteller describes the world, and all of the monsters you'll have to fight. And then you describe how your character fights the monsters. And if you win, your character becomes more powerful, and can do whatever they want."
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