It was a dark and stormy night.
Okay, it wasn't, but some of the best — and worst — tales that he'd ever read had started off with that very particular phrase, and in the case of his own life boiling down to one solitary set of moments, Fisher Darden believed that they would have fit rather well in the here and now. There was only one small problem. The air was clear, the breeze was cool, and the moonlight poured over the island without prejudice. The only storms to be found were the swirling vortex of his emotions, battling the almost crippling guilt he felt over shooting Oliver, and the bubbling cauldron of dread that had overtaken his stomach.
As far as evenings went, it was actually rather pleasant; perfect conditions for a funeral.
Likely several.
((Fisher Darden continued from I Should Have Known))
As he lurked on the precipice within the old graveyard, the submachine gun felt unsteady in his hands, a layer of sweat causing him to constantly readjust his grip on the weapon. The knapsack on his back was heavy, filled both with the burden of expectations as well as all of the ammunition and supplies that he'd thought to scrounge. At this point, he wasn't sure exactly what lay in store for his future, but giving up on them seemed like giving up on survival. Perhaps they could be dissuaded from murdering one another — what then? The Americans wouldn't take that lightly. But if they could somehow manage to get away, having a fresh first aid kit could mean the difference between living or dying.
His churning stomach elicited a grimace. There he went again — always thinking the best in a situation where he knew what the real stakes were. His imagination was once more, running away from him. The Americans weren't going to just let them go home; they may not have had any restraints, but they were still very much prisoners of war. Fisher had said as much to Oliver before—
"Hngh," he grasped a tall gravestone as he doubled over, feeling as though he were going to vomit.
Over and over, Fisher had repeated it in his head: you had no choice.
For a few hours, he'd almost believed it. There had been a moment — one brief, solitary moment — where he'd completely understood that he truly was not a murderer. Oliver would have killed him, so he did what he had to do in self-defense. It was going to be okay, he would totally get through this. Absolutely. No problem, whatsoever.
Then, the announcement.
His horror at the way they had completely thrown him under the bus for his inaction during Tiny's death was matched only by his shame at knowing that they weren't wrong. Fisher could have done something; should have. Eventually things had ended up at the same place they may have been otherwise. Oliver was dead, Fisher had been the one to pull the trigger. Logically, he knew that it wouldn't have mattered. The very same vest that he now wore underneath his shirt had protected Oliver, so shooting him would likely have hastened his own demise.
Doing so would have been his choice.
Knowing whom the other three students left alive were was no consolation for Fisher, either. Whatever he thought of them, he knew that Galahad, Pippa and Virgil would all be in various states of their own trauma, likely having seen or done the same horrible things that he had to stay alive to this point. Naturally, he knew that Pippa would be the one to fear; she had already demonstrated just how ruthless she could be when she'd murdered Freya in cold blood.
And yet—
The meagre contents of his stomach took that moment to expel themselves, a tad more loudly than Fisher preferred. As he coughed and spat the last of the bile onto the ground, his hands shook, the sweat glistening in the moonlight across his forehead. He didn't feel remotely ready for this; for a walk amongst the tombstones in what could be the last moments of his life. Sliding the knapsack off of his shoulders, he shut his eyes and exhaled as he dropped it to the ground. Heart pounding, he felt panicked. His knees felt weak, his arms were heavy.
"You can do this," he whispered to himself. "You're okay, mate. Just breathe, just bre—"
Steadying himself, Fisher opened his eyes and looked up, his shoulders falling as the panic threatened to overwhelm him.
"Fuck."
Out of the Depths of Sorrow and of Sacrifice
PV3 Endgame
((Pippa Andolini continued from I am a stranger in this country))
Pippa had a clear shot on Virgil. He hadn't moved much since the announcement, and now was the time to take him out. One down, then two Freya devotees to take out next. Then she could go presumably go home and spend the rest of her life making sure it wasn't all a waste. She could start a scholarship in memory of the deceased once she made her fortune. That'd be a good first step to building a legacy from these ruins.
Virgil should have been the first to go, but something got in the way. Someone had to make too much noise behind her. Someone had to try and get the jump on her.
Instinctively, Pippa turned away, swinging the rifle in the direction of the sound. She quickly pulled the trigger and fired. After the loud bang, Pippa heard someone fall.
"Alright. Who's the sneak?" she muttered to herself.
Pippa had a clear shot on Virgil. He hadn't moved much since the announcement, and now was the time to take him out. One down, then two Freya devotees to take out next. Then she could go presumably go home and spend the rest of her life making sure it wasn't all a waste. She could start a scholarship in memory of the deceased once she made her fortune. That'd be a good first step to building a legacy from these ruins.
Virgil should have been the first to go, but something got in the way. Someone had to make too much noise behind her. Someone had to try and get the jump on her.
Instinctively, Pippa turned away, swinging the rifle in the direction of the sound. She quickly pulled the trigger and fired. After the loud bang, Pippa heard someone fall.
"Alright. Who's the sneak?" she muttered to herself.
G014: Mayumi Tendou
((The End was Near))
The speakers crackled to life. One last time. Virgil was taken aback; he hadn't thought nearly enough time had passed. He removed his hand and raised his head to the sky as the fallen were listed. Cassandra was dead (good). So was Kat. That saddened Virgil; he'd liked Kat, and she had such a will to live. She would have been a good winner. The last name raised his mood: Oliver. His evil machinations were thwarted. He deserved to rot.
Virgil stood in the same position as the announcement ceased. They were being called to the graveyard, which was fortunate of him. He wondered if he could greet all the others as they arrived. Fate had decided that everyone Virgil had previously met in the program should die, so he had to make his introductions to the other finalists. Fisher, Pippa, or Galahad - really, any of them could potentially work. But he needed to talk to them first.
(There was one more thing. What had Adams said? Behind him-)
The crack of gunfire made Virgil reflexively dive for cover. Whatever confidence Virgil may have once had about the inevitability of his success had long abandoned him, and he found himself hiding behind the wall of the mausoleum, shaking and taking uneasy breaths. Others were here with him. They had been here since before the announcement.
Virgil peeked out from behind cover. He saw Pippa standing among the tombstones, looking off to the side. She hadn't been shooting at him, so what had she been shooting? Strange. Regardless, it was time for Virgil to make his pitch.
"Pippa!" he shouted "I just want to talk! I don't want to win, but it's clear you do. I can help you!"
The speakers crackled to life. One last time. Virgil was taken aback; he hadn't thought nearly enough time had passed. He removed his hand and raised his head to the sky as the fallen were listed. Cassandra was dead (good). So was Kat. That saddened Virgil; he'd liked Kat, and she had such a will to live. She would have been a good winner. The last name raised his mood: Oliver. His evil machinations were thwarted. He deserved to rot.
Virgil stood in the same position as the announcement ceased. They were being called to the graveyard, which was fortunate of him. He wondered if he could greet all the others as they arrived. Fate had decided that everyone Virgil had previously met in the program should die, so he had to make his introductions to the other finalists. Fisher, Pippa, or Galahad - really, any of them could potentially work. But he needed to talk to them first.
(There was one more thing. What had Adams said? Behind him-)
The crack of gunfire made Virgil reflexively dive for cover. Whatever confidence Virgil may have once had about the inevitability of his success had long abandoned him, and he found himself hiding behind the wall of the mausoleum, shaking and taking uneasy breaths. Others were here with him. They had been here since before the announcement.
Virgil peeked out from behind cover. He saw Pippa standing among the tombstones, looking off to the side. She hadn't been shooting at him, so what had she been shooting? Strange. Regardless, it was time for Virgil to make his pitch.
"Pippa!" he shouted "I just want to talk! I don't want to win, but it's clear you do. I can help you!"
-
Pippi
- Posts: 1118
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 6:32 pm
- Location: I'm Pip!
- Team Affiliation: Stephanie's Buccaneers
Normally, receiving a sign to give aim to your aimless wandering was a thing to appreciate. Not so much when it came out of the lips of General Adams. Not so much when it was letting you know that there were only 3 of your classmates still alive.
Definitely not when it reminded you of your failures you’d made to get here.
((Galahad Matthews continued from If The Nineth Lion Ate The Sun))
He stopped walking as the announcements played, and looked up at the darkening sky, as if the face of General Adams would suddenly appear on a giant screen. Which, uh, would have been pretty terrifying, so he was really glad that didn’t end up happening.
The announcement was hard to listen to. He didn’t need to be told how he had been right outside the room Rajni had been killed in, nor did he need Adams to tell him how low he thought the odds of him keeping his promise was. But it was even harder to ignore the damn thing. And not just because of the vital information it held; the location he was being herded towards, the fact this was the final stretch of the Program.
But he also needed to hear the fates of all of his classmates, now. Every story needed an ending, a physical one at least, if they were going to exist forever in the stories he told. He owed it to them to take every last bit of knowledge surrounding them, and keeping it locked away safely in his memory.
And there was one other thing to note. That Pippa was one of the three people he’d be sharing the graveyard with. The person who’d taken Freya’s life. He hadn’t thought about his best friend’s killer until now, just about Freya, isolated from everything else. He would remember Pippa too, when he told the story of Saint Editha’s. Remember her as a human with a life and a soul and a dream.
After he’d gone through her and she was no longer breathing. When he finally came face to face with her… that, he was sure, would be the final bit of proof he would need for Adams to believe he’d keep that promise.
He could hear the faint sounds of helicopter rotors in the distance. This was it. No turning back now, even if he wanted to. One foot in front of the other. He would do this. No matter what.
He hadn’t been wandering too far from the graveyard, as it panned out. Just a few yards down from the gazebo. His footsteps faltered as he approached the area. He could see ghosts, here. Standing on the steps of the gazebo. Lying on the ground, just before the headstones began. The ghost of a girl who had slapped him in the face and then scarpered.
His shaking legs almost won out, almost took him back the way he’d come into the waiting scopes of the army. But there were warm bodies walking between the graves as well. Vague, nearly formless shapes in the gloom, but they were enough to bring his focus back to reality, and enough to make him continue to walk forwards, slower and lower to the ground now.
Then there was a flash of gunfire, Galahad’s yelp lost in the explosion, faces and bodies briefly visible in the shard of light. He pressed his back against the side of the gazebo, trying to slow his breathing back down to a normal human speed, keeping his gaze fixed on the area the gunshot had come from. Jesus. Jesus Christ. He’d made his way over pretty much as soon as the announcement had finished, so he had to assume he was only a little bit behind everyone else. Had they all started shooting already? No words, no discussion? Ask first, questions later?
Well, not quite. Somebody - not Pippa, one of the two other guys - was taking their words to the gunfight. Galahad felt his throat start to close up, though, when he realised that they wanted to try and help Pippa. That couldn’t happen. That was the one thing he wouldn’t let come to pass, no matter what it took to prevent it.
If only he knew what he could do to stop it, with nothing but Michael in his hands, a knife in his pocket, and a memento in the shape of a gun on his back.
He would wait. Just for a moment. Just to see whether an opportunity would arise for him to do something. And if no such moment occurred?
He’d just have to make his own opportunity.
Definitely not when it reminded you of your failures you’d made to get here.
((Galahad Matthews continued from If The Nineth Lion Ate The Sun))
He stopped walking as the announcements played, and looked up at the darkening sky, as if the face of General Adams would suddenly appear on a giant screen. Which, uh, would have been pretty terrifying, so he was really glad that didn’t end up happening.
The announcement was hard to listen to. He didn’t need to be told how he had been right outside the room Rajni had been killed in, nor did he need Adams to tell him how low he thought the odds of him keeping his promise was. But it was even harder to ignore the damn thing. And not just because of the vital information it held; the location he was being herded towards, the fact this was the final stretch of the Program.
But he also needed to hear the fates of all of his classmates, now. Every story needed an ending, a physical one at least, if they were going to exist forever in the stories he told. He owed it to them to take every last bit of knowledge surrounding them, and keeping it locked away safely in his memory.
And there was one other thing to note. That Pippa was one of the three people he’d be sharing the graveyard with. The person who’d taken Freya’s life. He hadn’t thought about his best friend’s killer until now, just about Freya, isolated from everything else. He would remember Pippa too, when he told the story of Saint Editha’s. Remember her as a human with a life and a soul and a dream.
After he’d gone through her and she was no longer breathing. When he finally came face to face with her… that, he was sure, would be the final bit of proof he would need for Adams to believe he’d keep that promise.
He could hear the faint sounds of helicopter rotors in the distance. This was it. No turning back now, even if he wanted to. One foot in front of the other. He would do this. No matter what.
He hadn’t been wandering too far from the graveyard, as it panned out. Just a few yards down from the gazebo. His footsteps faltered as he approached the area. He could see ghosts, here. Standing on the steps of the gazebo. Lying on the ground, just before the headstones began. The ghost of a girl who had slapped him in the face and then scarpered.
His shaking legs almost won out, almost took him back the way he’d come into the waiting scopes of the army. But there were warm bodies walking between the graves as well. Vague, nearly formless shapes in the gloom, but they were enough to bring his focus back to reality, and enough to make him continue to walk forwards, slower and lower to the ground now.
Then there was a flash of gunfire, Galahad’s yelp lost in the explosion, faces and bodies briefly visible in the shard of light. He pressed his back against the side of the gazebo, trying to slow his breathing back down to a normal human speed, keeping his gaze fixed on the area the gunshot had come from. Jesus. Jesus Christ. He’d made his way over pretty much as soon as the announcement had finished, so he had to assume he was only a little bit behind everyone else. Had they all started shooting already? No words, no discussion? Ask first, questions later?
Well, not quite. Somebody - not Pippa, one of the two other guys - was taking their words to the gunfight. Galahad felt his throat start to close up, though, when he realised that they wanted to try and help Pippa. That couldn’t happen. That was the one thing he wouldn’t let come to pass, no matter what it took to prevent it.
If only he knew what he could do to stop it, with nothing but Michael in his hands, a knife in his pocket, and a memento in the shape of a gun on his back.
He would wait. Just for a moment. Just to see whether an opportunity would arise for him to do something. And if no such moment occurred?
He’d just have to make his own opportunity.
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Cactus
- Posts: 295
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 6:25 pm
- Location: Toronto, Canada
- Team Affiliation: Malcolm's Mariners
It hadn't occurred to him that perhaps the game was already afoot. In the long run, Fisher wasn't sure what he had expected. The four of them would meet up, they would hopefully talk out their differences, and then eventually the truce would break down and one of them — Pippa most likely — would try to murder the rest of them. People would die, and that would be it. In his heart, he knew that to be the case, but in his mind, he had always thought that he'd have at least a chance to talk them out of it, much as he had Tiny.
But as he'd looked up and seen the figure grasping the telltale shadow that could only be a weapon in their hands, he didn't have time to do or say much of anything. All he could do was try to put his arms up in front of him; his stomach still turning in knots. He could barely breathe from the unrestrained panic. There was a loud crack, a flash of light and then he truly couldn't breathe — but panic had nothing to do with it. The impact hit him in the chest, sending all the air from his lungs, his mind trying to find air that wasn't there as he spun and fell backwards, losing both his weapon and his pack in his spin.
I was never going to be any good at this was his last thought as he fell backwards, unable to find any air for his urgently gasping lungs; the icy hot pain of impact starting to throb through his chest. Mercifully, there was a loud crack as his head found the back of something solid, and Fisher never felt himself hit the ground.
But as he'd looked up and seen the figure grasping the telltale shadow that could only be a weapon in their hands, he didn't have time to do or say much of anything. All he could do was try to put his arms up in front of him; his stomach still turning in knots. He could barely breathe from the unrestrained panic. There was a loud crack, a flash of light and then he truly couldn't breathe — but panic had nothing to do with it. The impact hit him in the chest, sending all the air from his lungs, his mind trying to find air that wasn't there as he spun and fell backwards, losing both his weapon and his pack in his spin.
I was never going to be any good at this was his last thought as he fell backwards, unable to find any air for his urgently gasping lungs; the icy hot pain of impact starting to throb through his chest. Mercifully, there was a loud crack as his head found the back of something solid, and Fisher never felt himself hit the ground.
Pippa quickly moved over to the target of her gunfire. She could ignore Virgil for now. She knew he didn't have anything on him, and clearly this sneak was someone she needed to take care of first. They probably had something genuine to take to increase her chances of getting back home.
Pippa moved through the tombstones and saw the figure on the ground. Fisher. Pippa smirked a bit. Who would have thought Fisher would show up and try to be the one to take her out? It looked like the shot had really knocked him down. It looked like he was bleeding from the head too. He must have hit a tombstone on the way down. That made things way easier for her.
It still couldn't hurt to jab him with the bayonet a few times. Pippa walked above him and quickly jabbed him in the side with it. Hopefully she got a kidney. It was a bit dark now, so it was hard to see exactly what she was stabbing. She was prepared to get him again when she heard Virgil shouting at her.
Pippa! I just want to talk! I don't want to win, but it's clear you do. I can help you!
Pippa looked down at the object near Fisher. What do you know? Fisher upgraded from the laminated paper he had earlier. And he probably was planning to kill her with it.
"That sounds nice, Virgil," Pippa said, crouching down to pick up the object.
She dropped the now-empty rifle and her bag down beside Fisher. Fisher's weapon and bag would help her more now, so she could leave them behind.
"But I've always believed that to make it in this world, you have to help yourself before you accept help from anyone else."
Pippa turned back towards Virgil with Fisher's gun in her hand.
"And frankly, I think I'm doing quite well for myself right now."
Pippa moved through the tombstones and saw the figure on the ground. Fisher. Pippa smirked a bit. Who would have thought Fisher would show up and try to be the one to take her out? It looked like the shot had really knocked him down. It looked like he was bleeding from the head too. He must have hit a tombstone on the way down. That made things way easier for her.
It still couldn't hurt to jab him with the bayonet a few times. Pippa walked above him and quickly jabbed him in the side with it. Hopefully she got a kidney. It was a bit dark now, so it was hard to see exactly what she was stabbing. She was prepared to get him again when she heard Virgil shouting at her.
Pippa! I just want to talk! I don't want to win, but it's clear you do. I can help you!
Pippa looked down at the object near Fisher. What do you know? Fisher upgraded from the laminated paper he had earlier. And he probably was planning to kill her with it.
"That sounds nice, Virgil," Pippa said, crouching down to pick up the object.
She dropped the now-empty rifle and her bag down beside Fisher. Fisher's weapon and bag would help her more now, so she could leave them behind.
"But I've always believed that to make it in this world, you have to help yourself before you accept help from anyone else."
Pippa turned back towards Virgil with Fisher's gun in her hand.
"And frankly, I think I'm doing quite well for myself right now."
G014: Mayumi Tendou
"Errr..."
He retreated back behind the wall. Well, what she was saying was accurate. Assuming that Pippa had just killed Fisher or Galahad, she only had one more genuine opponent left. And she was presumably much more heavily armed than whichever boy remained. Virgil wasn't happy with what she was saying, but he couldn't dispute it. She didn't need his help. So what, then?
He could just... submit, he supposed. But he still had his doubts about her.
"Pippa, I only want what's best for everyone. Let's... please, let's just chat now. You can kill me afterwards."
Gradually, he peeked his head out again. He could see her there, with a very large and frightening gun in plain view.
"I just want to know one thing."
He retreated back behind the wall. Well, what she was saying was accurate. Assuming that Pippa had just killed Fisher or Galahad, she only had one more genuine opponent left. And she was presumably much more heavily armed than whichever boy remained. Virgil wasn't happy with what she was saying, but he couldn't dispute it. She didn't need his help. So what, then?
He could just... submit, he supposed. But he still had his doubts about her.
"Pippa, I only want what's best for everyone. Let's... please, let's just chat now. You can kill me afterwards."
Gradually, he peeked his head out again. He could see her there, with a very large and frightening gun in plain view.
"I just want to know one thing."
-
Pippi
- Posts: 1118
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 6:32 pm
- Location: I'm Pip!
- Team Affiliation: Stephanie's Buccaneers
He waited, keeping as silent as he possibly could, pulling his t-shirt up to cover his mouth and nose just to muffle his breathing. It didn’t matter that none of the others could hear the sound of someone breathing across a dark graveyard and through the wind of the night and the distant hum of helicopter blades. At least, he really really hoped they couldn’t.
He just… he really didn’t want to take any more chances. He’d been lucky that Tiny hadn’t shot him on the spot. Lucky that Oliver had been neutralised before he could do anything on the beach. And lucky, although he hated the realisation of it, that he hadn’t been the first one into the warehouse. Luck had carried him for large swathes of this game.
But luck simply couldn’t exist anymore. Everybody left - except for whoever had been talking with Pippa, it seemed - wanted to escape from here. One wrong move, a tiny slip-up, and they’d pounce. And that would be the end of it all.
Galahad sighed into his shirt, the warmth of his breath taking him by surprise momentarily against the cool air surrounding him. He was gonna have to make some sort of step into the unknown, though. Even if Pippa and her wannabe ally didn’t team up, what was he gonna gain if he just waited and waited and waited next to the gazebo for some miraculous opportunity or avenue of victory? Nothing. And then Pippi or whoever killed Pippa would take her gun and…
Yeah.
He made sure he had everything on him - bag and netgun on his back, knife pressed against his outer thigh, Michael gripped tightly in his hands - and then he moved, low and quick and as silent as he could be, praying that this shape moving through the darkness would go unnoticed.
He just… he really didn’t want to take any more chances. He’d been lucky that Tiny hadn’t shot him on the spot. Lucky that Oliver had been neutralised before he could do anything on the beach. And lucky, although he hated the realisation of it, that he hadn’t been the first one into the warehouse. Luck had carried him for large swathes of this game.
But luck simply couldn’t exist anymore. Everybody left - except for whoever had been talking with Pippa, it seemed - wanted to escape from here. One wrong move, a tiny slip-up, and they’d pounce. And that would be the end of it all.
Galahad sighed into his shirt, the warmth of his breath taking him by surprise momentarily against the cool air surrounding him. He was gonna have to make some sort of step into the unknown, though. Even if Pippa and her wannabe ally didn’t team up, what was he gonna gain if he just waited and waited and waited next to the gazebo for some miraculous opportunity or avenue of victory? Nothing. And then Pippi or whoever killed Pippa would take her gun and…
Yeah.
He made sure he had everything on him - bag and netgun on his back, knife pressed against his outer thigh, Michael gripped tightly in his hands - and then he moved, low and quick and as silent as he could be, praying that this shape moving through the darkness would go unnoticed.
Oh, he had something to ask her? That seemed like a stall tactic. Pippa was sure of it. Maybe Virgil wanted to extend his life a bit, or maybe he was trying to wait until Fisher awoke again to help him. Odds were that Galahad wasn't going to be coming by any time soon, but the chance that he could meant Pippa had to get this over with quickly.
Pippa kept the gun pointed at Virgil and stepped closer to him.
"Alright," she said. "You have ten seconds to ask your question."
She kept her eyes on him. If Virgil was really offering an easy kill to be one less person to deal with, Pippa was willing to take that if it meant satisfying whatever query he had. But he better not try to pull the wool over her. She was still in control, and she was going to survive this game.
Virgil wasn't going to make a fool of her.
Pippa kept the gun pointed at Virgil and stepped closer to him.
"Alright," she said. "You have ten seconds to ask your question."
She kept her eyes on him. If Virgil was really offering an easy kill to be one less person to deal with, Pippa was willing to take that if it meant satisfying whatever query he had. But he better not try to pull the wool over her. She was still in control, and she was going to survive this game.
Virgil wasn't going to make a fool of her.
G014: Mayumi Tendou
Oh, well. Brilliant.
Virgil stared into the machine gun, and came to the unexpected realization that this was the first time in the entire program that someone was pointing a gun right at his face. Neither Victoria nor Oliver had never had any real desire to shoot him, but Pippa was very close to doing it. One press on the trigger and he'd be gone, all of his thinking and rambling about fate and surviving through spirit would be gone in a second. The only thing stopping her was his own conviction. He'd intrigued her, at least a small amount, at least enough to give him ten seconds.
(It was actually closer to five seconds by this point. This wasn't the best time for thoughtful reflection.)
"P-Pippa. What do you plan do to when you return to Britain?"
He asked the one question that Pippa had allotted for him. It might have been wise to stop speaking at that point, but he continued.
"Only one of us will leave here. The survivor should be someone who can carry the burden for the rest of us. Ensure none of our deaths were in vain, from Cedric all the way to- to whoever it was you shot just now."
(That was definitely over ten seconds.)
Virgil stared into the machine gun, and came to the unexpected realization that this was the first time in the entire program that someone was pointing a gun right at his face. Neither Victoria nor Oliver had never had any real desire to shoot him, but Pippa was very close to doing it. One press on the trigger and he'd be gone, all of his thinking and rambling about fate and surviving through spirit would be gone in a second. The only thing stopping her was his own conviction. He'd intrigued her, at least a small amount, at least enough to give him ten seconds.
(It was actually closer to five seconds by this point. This wasn't the best time for thoughtful reflection.)
"P-Pippa. What do you plan do to when you return to Britain?"
He asked the one question that Pippa had allotted for him. It might have been wise to stop speaking at that point, but he continued.
"Only one of us will leave here. The survivor should be someone who can carry the burden for the rest of us. Ensure none of our deaths were in vain, from Cedric all the way to- to whoever it was you shot just now."
(That was definitely over ten seconds.)
-
Pippi
- Posts: 1118
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 6:32 pm
- Location: I'm Pip!
- Team Affiliation: Stephanie's Buccaneers
Okay. Okay, phew. He’d made it here, deeper into the thicket of headstones, pretty much unscathed, the beginnings of a blister on his foot notwithstanding. Galahad ducked back down, pressing his back against the closest tombstone to catch his breath for a moment. That was Step One out of the way. Now he was into the unknown, and the as-of-yet undecided-upon Step Two.
Step Two… Step Two…
C’mon. He could think of a Step Two, couldn’t he? He just needed to think on his feet a little. He could do that. He’d done that before. Hell, actually, he did that all the time. Every single day. He had his own opinions, his own thoughts, his own decisions on what should be done. He just… He was always happy to let other people go with what they wanted, he supposed. And so his opinions never got brought to light. If, a few days ago, Pippa had come up to him and told him she was about to shoot him in the head, what would he have said? “Yes ma’am, of course ma’am, I’ll stand perfect still ma’am”? Well. Maybe.
But, although it wasn’t in a way he could ever have wanted, he had nobody else’s opinions for his own to fall in line behind. And the only thing that mattered anymore was making sure Pippa wasn’t the only person to leave this town. So. Time to think.
Obviously it would be really nice if he could just find the courage to take her out with his fire axe, but he’d either need to vault over the tombstones and miraculously avoid getting shot in the face, or go the long way around, and either come face to face with Pippa herself, or the person who was trying to get into Pippa’s good books.
Hmm. Although. From the sounds of it, with Pippa giving whoever the other guy was a time limit, the negotiations weren’t going swimmingly. There was definitely something in that. Maybe not something for him to pin his hopes to, but at the very least, for him to blu-tac them to. He was pretty sure, at this point, that ten seconds was well up.
So he would wait to see what Pippa’s move was. And if her move meant that the boy she was talking to stopped breathing?
Galahad would remember him. He would mourn, and he would grieve, and he would tell his story, as soon as Pippa was dealt with.
Step Two… Step Two…
C’mon. He could think of a Step Two, couldn’t he? He just needed to think on his feet a little. He could do that. He’d done that before. Hell, actually, he did that all the time. Every single day. He had his own opinions, his own thoughts, his own decisions on what should be done. He just… He was always happy to let other people go with what they wanted, he supposed. And so his opinions never got brought to light. If, a few days ago, Pippa had come up to him and told him she was about to shoot him in the head, what would he have said? “Yes ma’am, of course ma’am, I’ll stand perfect still ma’am”? Well. Maybe.
But, although it wasn’t in a way he could ever have wanted, he had nobody else’s opinions for his own to fall in line behind. And the only thing that mattered anymore was making sure Pippa wasn’t the only person to leave this town. So. Time to think.
Obviously it would be really nice if he could just find the courage to take her out with his fire axe, but he’d either need to vault over the tombstones and miraculously avoid getting shot in the face, or go the long way around, and either come face to face with Pippa herself, or the person who was trying to get into Pippa’s good books.
Hmm. Although. From the sounds of it, with Pippa giving whoever the other guy was a time limit, the negotiations weren’t going swimmingly. There was definitely something in that. Maybe not something for him to pin his hopes to, but at the very least, for him to blu-tac them to. He was pretty sure, at this point, that ten seconds was well up.
So he would wait to see what Pippa’s move was. And if her move meant that the boy she was talking to stopped breathing?
Galahad would remember him. He would mourn, and he would grieve, and he would tell his story, as soon as Pippa was dealt with.
Pippa paused as Virgil asked his question. He just wanted to know what she’d do if she made it back home. Of course, it was still unclear if the survivor would be allowed to go home, but Pippa at the very least could assume she would. After all, whatever point the US wanted to prove was made, so surely she’d have more value for a prisoner exchange or something. It wasn’t like the UK would accept no one coming home.
Pippa adjusted the gun a bit, but kept it aimed at Virgil.
“University, of course,” Pippa said. “Get my business degree, and then start up my own company. Then I’ll make sure that my mother and I never have to feel unsteady again.”
Pippa inched closer to Virgil.
“And I can pay tribute to the deceased. Obviously they all mean a great deal to me if their deaths meant I can survive this and live my dream. I can start a charity in their name on the side, or maybe partner with Oxford to start a scholarship for Bellington students. Granted, it’ll take time to fulfill these, but I’ll have all the time in the world for that back home.”
Pippa stopped moving.
“Are you satisfied? Will you help me get home now?”
Pippa adjusted the gun a bit, but kept it aimed at Virgil.
“University, of course,” Pippa said. “Get my business degree, and then start up my own company. Then I’ll make sure that my mother and I never have to feel unsteady again.”
Pippa inched closer to Virgil.
“And I can pay tribute to the deceased. Obviously they all mean a great deal to me if their deaths meant I can survive this and live my dream. I can start a charity in their name on the side, or maybe partner with Oxford to start a scholarship for Bellington students. Granted, it’ll take time to fulfill these, but I’ll have all the time in the world for that back home.”
Pippa stopped moving.
“Are you satisfied? Will you help me get home now?”
G014: Mayumi Tendou
Virgil frowned, and thought. A company... to what, make jewelry? And a "charity on the side". A scholarship. Assuming she didn't change her mind once she became wealthy, anyway. Could he be satisfied with that? A jewelry company...
He did not have any alternatives, however. The fact that Pippa was actually willing to talk to him and actually had an answer put her above anyone else he'd met along the way. His choice was to decide between the options we was given, not hope for something greater than what the others could offer.
He'd have to be satisfied.
"Okay." he said. "That... if that's it, I'll accept." He stepped out completely from behind cover. His hands were up, showing he had no weapons.
"I'm all yours, Pippa. I can assist you... or you could kill me right now, if you want."
He wanted to resign himself to it, but he still hoped she chose the former.
He did not have any alternatives, however. The fact that Pippa was actually willing to talk to him and actually had an answer put her above anyone else he'd met along the way. His choice was to decide between the options we was given, not hope for something greater than what the others could offer.
He'd have to be satisfied.
"Okay." he said. "That... if that's it, I'll accept." He stepped out completely from behind cover. His hands were up, showing he had no weapons.
"I'm all yours, Pippa. I can assist you... or you could kill me right now, if you want."
He wanted to resign himself to it, but he still hoped she chose the former.
-
Pippi
- Posts: 1118
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 6:32 pm
- Location: I'm Pip!
- Team Affiliation: Stephanie's Buccaneers
Ugh.
Okay, so, looked like these two were actually a lot chummier than Galahad had thought at first. He had… He hadn’t wanted Pippa to pull the trigger, but he did need her and the boy to be at odds, for their conversation to end in a disagreement. And he needed to understand that, if that happened, there was a high chance that only she would still be breathing afterwards.
So at least for now he could skirt around that moral quandary, but really, all that did was bring up the much bigger issue that Pippa now had somebody working with her, someone who was gonna try and bring her the victory, such as it was. Sticking back and playing the ‘wait and see’ card was, once again, not gonna work.
He couldn’t help but pause, though, when Pippa said what her plans were if she got out of here. Just like him, she was planning on honouring the memories of their classmates, ‘paying tribute’ as she put it. Or so she claimed. Maybe that was what they were all looking to do, upon escaping this shitshow, keep their classmates alive in any way they could.
But… He didn’t know. The words were all there, they were all things that Galahad wanted to hear, but they left a bitter taste in his mouth, like it was all coming from a script rather than from her heart. He just… simply couldn’t trust that it was all genuine. Especially not after what she’d done. Especially not when she claimed she was going to honour the people she’d killed.
So. Doing something. Something that wasn’t hiding. Far as he saw, that left him with very few options. So he stood up, head just poking up above the gravestones between him and the other two.
“H-Hey!”
God, he was trembling like a leaf. His voice was as shaky as it could possibly be.
“Over… over here!”
But, hey. Still doing it. Still doing the only thing he thought he could do right now.
Okay, so, looked like these two were actually a lot chummier than Galahad had thought at first. He had… He hadn’t wanted Pippa to pull the trigger, but he did need her and the boy to be at odds, for their conversation to end in a disagreement. And he needed to understand that, if that happened, there was a high chance that only she would still be breathing afterwards.
So at least for now he could skirt around that moral quandary, but really, all that did was bring up the much bigger issue that Pippa now had somebody working with her, someone who was gonna try and bring her the victory, such as it was. Sticking back and playing the ‘wait and see’ card was, once again, not gonna work.
He couldn’t help but pause, though, when Pippa said what her plans were if she got out of here. Just like him, she was planning on honouring the memories of their classmates, ‘paying tribute’ as she put it. Or so she claimed. Maybe that was what they were all looking to do, upon escaping this shitshow, keep their classmates alive in any way they could.
But… He didn’t know. The words were all there, they were all things that Galahad wanted to hear, but they left a bitter taste in his mouth, like it was all coming from a script rather than from her heart. He just… simply couldn’t trust that it was all genuine. Especially not after what she’d done. Especially not when she claimed she was going to honour the people she’d killed.
So. Doing something. Something that wasn’t hiding. Far as he saw, that left him with very few options. So he stood up, head just poking up above the gravestones between him and the other two.
“H-Hey!”
God, he was trembling like a leaf. His voice was as shaky as it could possibly be.
“Over… over here!”
But, hey. Still doing it. Still doing the only thing he thought he could do right now.
Virgil seemed to find Pippa's answer satisfactory. Not that she cared if he did or not. She was committed to her future and to her goals, and Virgil's yay or nay wasn't going to stop that. If anything, he was offering his assistance in getting her to the end. The response to that came quickly.
"Thank you," she said. "I'd be glad for your help getting me out of here."
Pippa's finger was about to pull the trigger when she heard a shout in the distance. Pippa momentarily paused. Fisher was probably dead or near death after her attack. Virgil was right in front of her. That left only one person it could be. Only one person who could be a threat to her.
"Galahad."
Pippa pulled the trigger. She quickly turned it towards the direction Galahad shouted from. With such an arc, perhaps she'd be able to kill two boys with one hail of bullets. Or, at the very least, make it so there was just one left to deal with.
"Thank you," she said. "I'd be glad for your help getting me out of here."
Pippa's finger was about to pull the trigger when she heard a shout in the distance. Pippa momentarily paused. Fisher was probably dead or near death after her attack. Virgil was right in front of her. That left only one person it could be. Only one person who could be a threat to her.
"Galahad."
Pippa pulled the trigger. She quickly turned it towards the direction Galahad shouted from. With such an arc, perhaps she'd be able to kill two boys with one hail of bullets. Or, at the very least, make it so there was just one left to deal with.
G014: Mayumi Tendou