robowest | [ DEPARTURE ]

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I'll do my best. You know, once it's all safe and everything.

[he... has a lot of work to do. much like percy.

and for a moment, he seems a little surprised by the offer. but he chuckles a little and moves to return the gesture and hug her.

(seven weeks ago, this would have been nearly impossible for him.)]

That makes two of us. But anyway, I think I can keep a secret just fine—you didn't even know I was a king until five minutes ago.

[she returns it, of course, since she's the one who offered it in the first place. still, nearly as soon as the embrace begins, she pulls away, looking towards the ground. friendship is hard!!]

I really hope the king thing isn't supposed to be a secret. Seems like it'd be pretty hard to keep.

[friendship is hard, he gets it. it's improvement for both of them, at least!]

Kept it under wraps during the game so nobody got the wrong idea. Didn't... really need anyone thinking I'd go killing people or whatever just to get back to my duties.

[and, you know.]

It's not like it was hard to do, anyway. Most people wouldn't look at a guy like me and go "oh yeah, that guy's definitely royalty."

If anyone thought you of all people would do that, they were probably either really stupid or really paranoid. I guess the second one would be fair, though. Not in regards to you, just in general.

[given the rules of the game.]

Yeah, not going to disagree with that.

Never know. Especially early on...

[it could've been a problem, but naturally by the time people started finding out, they knew he wasn't that sort of person.]

Worked out in my favor anyway, didn't it? Kind of saved me having to answer a ton of questions over and over, too.

[ DEPARTURE ]

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