VIDEO-ish (cw: torture and murder)

[bloomingdespite]

[Before the ICP flickers on, every passenger hears a resounding, deep voice thunder through every car in the train, carrying with it a deathly—if odd—proclamation:]

PENALTY GAME: HELL REVERSE!

[Moments later, every ICP turns on to reveal a figure shrouded in shadows, holding the unconscious body of Xue Yang with one hand as the Eye of Wdjat blazes on both of their foreheads. It's clear they're in the gaming car, but if anybody tries to enter from either end, they'll find the doors are impossibly locked.]

Passengers of the Voidtrecker Express, I hold in my hands an unrepentant murderer who slaughtered one of your very own: the victim being A-Qing, and the criminal being Xue Yang. While she has returned, this crime cannot go unpunished, and I have taken it upon myself to try and burn out the stain on his soul—or, at the very least, provide adequate agony for all of his victims, both on the train and off.

If you need to see proof of my justice...

Avert your eyes if you do not wish to see memories of the brutal death of a young woman in her prime.

[The screen flickers once again, this time showing A-Qing's murder, although it doesn't have any audio. ((OOC: Additional CW for graphic depictions of murder.))

When it returns to the interior of the Games Car, the shadowy figure is gone, but their voice and Xue Yang remain.]

I leave it to the council to dispense their own punishment, as meager as it may be.

Remember, passengers:

I am watching.

[The ICP clicks off, and the train is deadly quiet.]

Comments

[madcuriosity]

Wh-what did you do to him!

[But, as the announcement goes on and on, Alice can only scream in shock and terror, covering her eyes.]

STOP IT!

[runs_on_batteries]

Dammit.

[He hurries out of his office in search of Alice. When he finds her in the garden, he offers her a hug.]

Alice, sweetie, you're safe. I'm not going to let anything happen to you.

[madcuriosity]

[Alice, for her part, is very tiny, and has wrapped herself up into a ball to be even tinier as she hides behind and under some plants. But even as tiny as she makes herself, the garden car is not exactly the best place to hide.

When Tony finds her, she eeps and then is quick to shuffle into his arms, shaking.]

T-That person... that... they said they're watching... W-What if they come after me next? [No, she hasn't murdered anyone to be sure, but the person in the video didn't exactly seem open to reason and trials.]

[runs_on_batteries]

[It breaks his heart to see Alice like this. Of course, as soon as he reaches her, he thinks also of his daughter Madoka.]

No Alica. They won't come after you and they can't really be watching you. It was a threat. Sometimes bad people make threats whether it's true or not just to scare people. It's not true. You're safe here. We're going to find this bad person and make sure they don't ever do this again. And that thing we saw? That was magic. It wasn't real.

[Is he lying through his teeth? Yep. Does he care? Nope.]

[madcuriosity]

W-Who was that? Why... Why would anyone... why would he do that? Did that man... I don't understand. That man... that... that girl! All of that... will they be alright?

None of it was real?

[runs_on_batteries]

Well..

[Okay, maybe backpedaling a little.]

We don't know exactly. Have you been to one of the movies in the cinema? The images aren't real even though you see them.

However, the important thing is that you know you're safe and loved on this train. We're not going to let anything bad happen to you.

[madcuriosity]

I've never seen a movie. [She's not had time to do so and doesn't know what should even be the first movie to see.

But she hugs herself closer to Tony, still shaking.]

That man... that... that creature. How do we... how do you stop something like that? Why would the train bring someone like that here?

[runs_on_batteries]

You haven't? Well, we should fix that.

[He holds her tighter, offering whatever support he could, trying to do what Alice's real dad would have wanted for his little girl.]

Whatever it takes.

[He smiles at her, despite how ominous that probably sounded.]

But don't you worry about that. That's for the adults here to figure out. How would you like some cocoa? We could get the other kids too since they might be scared. Think you could help me with that?

[madcuriosity]

No. Someone mentioned I might like cartoons and something called Disney.

[Not talking about the giant scary shadow creature makes her feel less terrified. It helps that they're the only ones in the garden car right now.]

I would like that. The... the hot cocoa I mean. And I would like to meet more children. [Because Alice somehow keeps missing a good many of them.] Could I bring Dinah?

[runs_on_batteries]

You probably would, yes. They're made for children, but some adults even enjoy them.

[Please don't make him admit he likes Disney movies. He swears he only watched them because Morgan was! And don't ask him about the time he was caught alone listening to the Mulan soundtrack.]

Of course.

[He holds out his hand so the kitty can smell his fingers before giving a gentle rub on her head.]

The other kids would love to meet her.

[madcuriosity]

Will you watch one with me? I wouldn't even know which one to pick or if I could.

[Alice wouldn't know that admitting liking Disney is something a grown man should or shouldn't admit to.

She keeps holding onto Tony.]

I'm scared to go anywhere alone on this train until he's caught.

[runs_on_batteries]

[He was taken back a little, but in a sweet way. The girl wanted him to watch her very first movie with? It was humbling to be revered so much by a child. It was a painful reminder of who he left behind but also so sweet that he could see that light again.]

I'd be delighted.

[He stands up and scoops her up in his arms.]

Then I'll just have to come with you. Do you want to stop by your room first and make this a pj party? We can sleep in the blanket fort.

[madcuriosity]

[Alice gave a small nod.] I'll have to change into my pajamas and get a blanket for this fort.

[She swallowed and then tried to pull away... only to pause and go back to hugging Tony.]

Y-You promise the shadow monster w-won't attack me?

[goingthroughaphase]

[ And this is why we don't show things like this where everyone can see them Wester.

Some time later, Kitty wanders into the dining carriage, taking a look around. While she's sure that someone must have talked to the young girl already, what they all saw on wasn't going to be forgotten any time soon. Especially for such a young child. ]

Alice?

[madcuriosity]

[Alice is currently hiding under a table. She's curled up, back against the wall. What gives her away is Dinah who gives a rather loud "MEOW" revealing where Alice is.

Alice is quick to pull Dinah back under the table.]

[goingthroughaphase]

[ She was just about to check somewhere else when Dinah speaks up, and she turns just in time to see the cat disappear under the table. She takes her time making her way over, though, not wanting to scare her than she no doubt already is.

Then she kneels down onto the floor, but doesn't lean over just yet, just letting Alice see where she is, but still giving her a bit of distance. ]

Alice, it's just me, Kitty.

[madcuriosity]

Miss... Miss Kitty... did you... did you see that all too?

[goingthroughaphase]

[ She holds a breath, releasing it slowly before answering. ]

I did, yeah.

[ She leans forward bit, just enough to peek under the table to see Alice. ]

So you saw the whole thing?

[madcuriosity]

[Alice gave a small nod.]

I... I stopped... a-after the s-second murder... or... or first one? But... that man, that creature. It- it's on this train! It could hurt all of us!

[goingthroughaphase]

Alice. [ Crouching down a bit further, she holds out a hand to Alice, letting the girl
decide to take it if she wants or not. ] He's not going to hurt you. I promise.

[madcuriosity]

[She hesitates to take Kitty's hand and then reaches for it.]

But he said he's watching. And he doesn't... you can't reason with someone. I could step on his foot on accident and he'd... he'd... trample me.

[goingthroughaphase]

[ When Alice takes her hand, she slowly, gently draws the child out from under the table. ]

Alice, listen. Sometimes, good people do bad things. Everyone makes mistakes. But sometimes, there are just really bad people out there.

And I know what that man did was scary, and I'm not saying that what he did was right. But when he said he was watching...I think he was just talking to any of the real bad people. He thinks he's protecting the good people.

[madcuriosity]

That's NOT a good person, Miss Kitty! Good people don't need to hide in a shadow or under a blanket and threaten everyone! That was a dangerous, nasty person!

[goingthroughaphase]

[ She bites her lip. 'Good people don't need to hide in a shadow'...That's a lot more to explain than she really has time for. ]

Yes, he is dangerous. That's why the people who can are going to find him and make sure this doesn't happen again. But what I meant is that he doesn't sound like he's going after good people either. He's going after other bad people.

[ Someone who sees themselves as the hero, acting out in the name of what they think is right...that is definitely someone too dangerous to leave alone. ]

[madcuriosity]

No. [She shook her head, pulling away.] He threatened everyone on this train! He didn't say "good people need not worry" he said "I'm watching!" that's all he said. He decided HE gets to decide who gets whatever punishment he likes. So he would look at me and decide I did something nasty because it's HIS opinion, no one elses!