[ DEPARTURE ]

[sheriffexe]

DEPARTURE

It's time to go. Most people are on the train by now. Settled into their cabins and among friends and loved ones. There are only three new arrivals left to board and once they do, Hal pulls a conductor's hat out from underneath the bar, tugs it on, and steps around it to the middle of the train. He opens his mouth to talk, voice filling the train. "It's time to go. Stops happen once a day until everyone's departed and I already have your stopped listed. If you'd like to be prioritized, let me know, otherwise we'll go in order of death. Settle in and enjoy the ride. If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask, folks." This, of course, means that those who died earliest (Manfred, Higekiri) will depart first while those who died latest (Barnham, Damian, Percy) will depart last. There's a stop for everyone, though those who want to get off together are more than welcome to. Hal pulls a notepad and pen out of his pocket later and people will notice that he goes around the train confirming stops with everyone. Whatever feeling Hal may have had to a character back in town isn't noticeable here -- he is simply a robot assigned with a job. After that, it's all a matter of settling in and enjoying the ride. If that's possible for you, at least.

QUICK NAV PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS | STATUSES | PROFILES | LOCATIONS | GRAVEYARD | MAIN NAVIGATION

Comments

[cherrypuncher]

[Almost is more than Shinnosuke is usually willing to give her, up there with might and guess, but it's not even an entire half-moment of letting that settle with her before her smile brightens and warms, soft but sincere as ever.]

Of course I am. I couldn't be anyone else!

[Stupid and annoying, she's Yuna, who wants to stay by her friends' sides and keep them safe, who will always remember the favorite colors of everyone in this town who would tell her, who sees before anything else that this town was full of people who meant the best and worked hard for it in spite of everything. This is all she's ever been.]

You've always been that same Shinnosuke-kun who wanted to do his best and take care of people, too. [She's seen this in him from the start; what makes her happiest is knowing he's finally started to let himself accept the support to be that.] I'm really glad for that.

[insincerely]

[He splutters, because, uh.]

I was never—!

[He was never trying to take care of people, damn it. Never. Ever. Nope.

... All right, maybe he was, as much as he wishes no one had looked past his asshole attitude, but he's still not at the point where he's ready to admit it.]

[cherrypuncher]

[nope, she's just all bright, if mildly confused-looking smiles, like she's waiting for him to finish his sentence?? she knows though. she knows.]

[insincerely]

Don't give me that look.

[He doesn't buy it.]

[cherrypuncher]

What look?

[most of the time she really is just that dumb but no she's starting to grin. she's absolutely just screwing around]

[insincerely]

... Yuna, you're a shitty liar.

[cherrypuncher]

Haha, I know... [now he can be sure she really was just that stupid all those other times though] You're not a very good liar, either, though.

[she knows!!!]

[insincerely]

[Ugggh.]

Shut up. That's just because you've been stupidly stubborn ever since the first week!

[It's not common for Shinnosuke to raise his voice like this, however childishly, which is... how you know that he cares—a lot.

He's going to miss Yuna like hell.]

[cherrypuncher]

[she wins. this is a slightly more bittersweet victory]

What's that got to do with how good you are at lying...?!

[insincerely]

You're too annoying to keep lying to.

[cherrypuncher]

...Thank you?

[SHE THINKS???]

[insincerely]

That wasn't a compliment!

[cherrypuncher]

Should I apologize instead?

[insincerely]

No. Just... [GOD HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HE WANTS YUNA TO DO] ... stop being so you. Or leave me alone. One of the two works.

[cherrypuncher]

But I can't be anyone else and I like you too much to leave you alone!

[insincerely]

...

[Shinnosuke feels the inexplicable urge to bang his head against the nearest wall, but he refrains.

Stop saying mushy stuff like that, Yuna—it makes him feel warm and fuzzy inside and it also makes him want to vomit. Or throw himself off this train.]

Like I said before, don't you have others to go talk to?

[cherrypuncher]

I'll have time for that later, too, but I'm here with you now. Oh, and anyway— [She pats at her pockets, setting those candy bars aside.] I almost forgot. I have something for you!

[insincerely]

[Never have words struck such fear into his heart until now: I have something for you.]

— You know what, I think I have to go use the facilities right now.

[STANDING UP

BYE]

[cherrypuncher]

—I think that's a lie, too!

[STANDING UP she's knocking over candy bars in the process. they live on the floor now]

[insincerely]

Shouldn't you clean up your mess?

[He says, looking over his shoulder as he begins... walking away...]

A hero should keep things neat and tidy!

[cherrypuncher]

That isn't a thing!

[NO SHE'S JUST LEAVING THEM THERE AND FOLLOWING HIM]

[insincerely]

Are you sure? Weren't you ever taught to clean up after yourself?

[SHIT

well even though he was totally bullshitting that, he might as well head to the men's washroom to see if even Yuna will actually follow him inside—]

[cherrypuncher]

Don't say that while you're—! Oh.

[nope the door closes in front of her and she is entirely too polite to go barging into the men's washroom so she's just

so sad

she looks kind of like a puppy that's been thrown and locked outside. what if she just kind of steps back and aside and waits here to see if he comes out.]

[insincerely]

[... On one hand, this is almost the perfect hiding spot (if it weren't for the fact that half his friends/not-friends are also male, so he'll inevitably run into them if he stays in here forever).

............ On the other hand, he doesn't hear Yuna walking away, which is a bad sign and means she's waiting outside for him, and to his increasing horror, he actually feels bad.








He's going to

wait inside a minute or two????]

[cherrypuncher]

[SHE'S

STILL HERE

SHE'S STILL HERE. SHE'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE. she probably has to assure a passerby that she's fine she's just waiting for someone in the interim because she's hanging around here looking like a kicked dog??? she's shuffling through her pockets to make sure she's prepared if Shinnosuke ever emerges from behind the door at all.]