robowest | [ DEPARTURE ]

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game: end

[ 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

Yeah. I've done more than enough for Hal. He owes me this much. Besides, he doesn't have a reason to keep us here. [He moves then, pulling a small folded square of paper out of his pocket with an address written on it.] When you get there, find this apartment. My mom should be home. If it's summer, Paul will be there, too. Give my mom that first.

[He rolls his eyes though.] It's funny. I don't think that's how death works where I'm from unless you want to wait around for me for rebirth. But trust me...I'm going to try not to die. And if I do I'll try to make sure it's not like this. [A pause.] I don't know if I could kill myself again? Not like this.

Edited 2017-03-06 17:01 (UTC)

[With a nod, she takes the piece of paper.]

Okay. You're sure she'll be cool with it? [Also...] Is it okay if I read it?

[She rolls her eyes in turn, giving him her best Look.]

Don't underestimate me, I would totally find a way. [More importantly, though...] I'm sorry. You never should have had to.

Of course she will. If anything, she's going to be mad at Hera, too, for kidnapping me for months but she won't mind you guys staying there for as long as you want. And you can read it if you want but I can't promise you won't get mad at me.

[So read at your own risk. That aside, there's a flat smile.] You'd have to fight Annabeth for the right to kill me twice, but the two of you together could easily find a way to do it and that's what scares me. [His eyes are downcast all the same.] All of us should have never had to do a lot of things. It's okay. I mean it's not okay but it's just...it happened. I did it because we needed to go home. Everything after that is on me and in comparison I kind of got off easy, didn't I?

Good to know. [She says, before opening and reading the entire thing with little hesitation. When she's done:] You're such a nerd.

[If anything, that word comes out a little bit touched, not angry.]

We could tag team you, it'd be fine.

[At what he says last, though, she shakes her head.]

Not really. Nobody got off easy, but... I don't know, you especially. Rough break.

I think I can handle that as long as you don't tell anybody. [He can hear the shift in tone. It's enough that it makes him happy, at least. The idea of both girls being within reach also makes him happy.

Family. Keeping everyone close. That's what he wants. To the rest...]

...I don't want to feel sorry for myself. Is it feeling sorry for myself if I agree with that?

No promises.

[The response is automatic, but it takes her a few moments to decide what to say to his next words.]

No, I don't think so. Acknowledging that you kind of got fucked over isn't the same as self pity.

I think we all got really fucked over but...Hal told me that he had a feeling I was going to be the one to win this game. I don't know how long he's felt like that. I don't know if I want to know. I was really, really hoping for once maybe it wouldn't come down to me.

I don't regret keeping my memories. I really don't. But the added nightmare fuel wasn't necessary. [...] It's just...weird? Everything about what happened is weird. When did it become almost normal to kill five people?

Yeah, all of us did, but I'm talking about you. [She sighs.] I asked him once if he knew how the game was going to end, and he said yes. So... A while.

[There's a quick shake of her head.]

None of this was normal, but it wasn't your fault, either.

So he was pretty much mocking me the whole time. Great. Awesome.

[He looks at the ceiling instead.] What if...I don't know. I don't want to become like them. [Them, of course, being people like Hannibal, Will, Nui or Ash. People that're vicious and cruel. They had reasons, he's sure. He's having trouble distinguishing between the two.] It's a weird place to be. The two things I never thought would happen to me happened in the span of eight weeks and now I'll never forget them. [...and he buries his head in his hands.] What the fuck am I supposed to tell my mom?

[She can guess who he's talking about, and her answer comes immediately and firmly.]

You're nothing like them, seriously. You aren't.

[There's no doubt in her mind as to that. The next part, though, is a bit harder to answer.]

...As much or as little as you want to. It's up to you.

[He's just going to be talking into his palms a little, excuse him.]

See, I know that. Like I definitely know that? But I know she's going to worry and there's seriously no easy way to be like "hey Mom, sorry I disappeared for almost a whole year, I got trapped in a game where I murdered five strangers and shot myself and Annabeth was burned alive, but we kicked Gaea's ass after we escaped the Underworld. What's for dinner?"

And that's if we beat Gaea. Which we will. She'll be easy after this. [Ughhhh.] She won't ask where you guys came from at least. That'll be up to me.

Then tell her you can't talk about it yet. From what you've told me... She'll understand, yeah? And you'll have long enough to find the right words.

Yeah, you will. I know you will. [A pause.] If you want me to tell her what happened, where we came from... I can do that, you know.

My mom tends to understand everything, but that probably comes from the fact she met my dad. After living in real-life mythology you kind of start accepting things. [But even so. This is still about taking someone else's life. Is he ashamed of himself? Yes. Does he regret it? Not entirely. It's what needed to happen to end the game. But it's a mixture of emotions here he doesn't bother unraveling.]

...I wouldn't ask you to do that. [He raises an eyebrow.] This is supposed to be a better start for you, remember? Don't spoil it just because I'm being a coward. I'm sure it'll be fine. Besides, you're going to have your hands full with Jason and Xion anyway.

I know you wouldn't ask me to, but I'm offering anyways.

[She rolls her eyes.]

It wouldn't spoil it, and you're not being a coward. But I won't tell her if you don't want me to.

[There's a pause before he moves to lay on his back and stare at the ceiling, feet firmly planted on the floor. They've been in this position before.]

Humor me a bit. What would you even say to her?

...I didn't really think that far ahead.

[She gives a half amused noise despite herself.]

I can think something up, though. Just give me a minute.

[At least there's a real laugh, quiet and short though it may be.]

You're going to fit right in. I never think that far ahead. [He rolls his head to look toward her.] If you don't come up with something, then start thinking about the fall. Are you guys bothering with school? Or is it permanently summer?

[And if it's the latter, maybe take him with you.]

I don't know about the others, but I'm bothering with school. I didn't work my ass off for the last four years to not get into Yale. [A pause.] I can probably forge a transcript. I'm sure it's fine.

[After that, she pauses for a few more moments.]

...Maybe I'd just tell her the truth. No lie could sound as weird, right?

Of course you're shooting for an Ivy League school. Why did I think otherwise? [He sounds oddly proud though. Go Natalie go.] I have a few people I can call in favors to if I play my cards right. We'll figure it out.

[...there's a sad sigh following.] You're right. She'd be worried, but it'd make the most sense.

Duh. It's only of the best music programs in the country.

[There's a small smile talking about it, but. She notices that sigh, and...]

If I did tell her the truth, it would still be up to you how much of the truth she gets.

I never knew. [The piano. A classic pianist. It's what he thinks of and without meaning to his eyes slide toward her hands and he finds himself being glad she has two again.]

But I know that's still my choice. [He licks his lips nervously.] I...don't like lying to her. But I don't like worrying her either. Probably why I'm not sure.

Yeah. I think the only other person I told was... You know.

[Thanks, polite vore dad!! Either way, she follows his gaze, curling and uncurling her fingers almost unconsciously. She's glad, too.]

Well, whatever you pick, we're behind you one hundred percent.

I know you are. [It's a firm agreement.] Not sure if you guys know what that means to me, but I know.

[It's something else when she mentions polite vore dad is the only other person to know things and it allows him to pause. If anyone would understand the weird situation with Will and Hannibal, it'd be Natalie.]

...it was way too easy to tell him a lot about ourselves, wasn't it? I'm not sure what that says about him or what it says about us. But on the other hand, I know I would have snapped even further if I didn't talk to him. [A pause.] I should have told you about them. But I was hoping that I could solve everything. It was before I knew you were chosen by Hal for that week. But even knowing everything... [He stops, frowning again.]

Tell me I'm fucked up for not being as angry as I should be.

He was the first person I told about... a lot of things. [She breathes out a sigh, running a hand through her hair.] It's not your fault. I figured it out eventually.

[A smile, a little bitter, but that bitterness isn't directed at him.]

I think I'm angry enough for the both of us. [But—] I guess it depends why you aren't.

[There's another lingering pause as he pops his knuckles a bit, idly staring up at the ceiling and his own hands that're now hovering above his face.]

Don't get me wrong, I'm still pretty pissed. Like majorly pissed. I don't care what the excuse was and what Will said, there was still no reason for doing this the way he did. But…I don't know. They were both right about a lot of things. Will told me I was going to be the winner. And…they kept a lot of secrets for me and advised me a lot in how to stay alive here. Dr. Lecter gave me information when he didn't have to. He's the one who told me what the roles do, that's how we started making the progress we did. There are so many things they didn't have to do, but they did. I hate admitting it sometimes but they gave me what I needed to end the game. Even though Dr. Lecter put Annabeth in the stocks just to see what would happen.

["To me" goes unsaid, if only because he knows Natalie will fill in the blanks.] One of them thought I'd crumble. One of them thought I'd succeed. I'm pretty tired of people betting on me. But with Will…their relationship's really, really messed up. I don't feel sorry for him because that's not the right word, but I've seen it happen before.

…did I ever tell you about Gabe? My first stepdad.

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