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

[blue_ice]

[ Kaiba is more subdued than usual when he answers. ]

His name is Atem. He's an ancient spirit with the power of shadow magic. He was from my world...

...but I have no idea how he's here. He's not on the roster, and the object that contained his spirit isn't here. Yugi or I would know if it was.

Xue Yang will probably wake up soon. I've done things I'm not proud of, if maybe not quite the same, and Atem performed this same punishment on me. It rendered me comatose for a while, but in the end...it worked as intended.

I realize he's undermining the council's authority and has no right to do this, but...that's what happened.

[runs_on_batteries]

[He listens to the answers he gets before responding. This was about the last thing he needed right now.]

Would you be able to find him? We need to speak with Xue Yang and Qing too.

[blue_ice]

I'll do a sweep of the train for him or any pieces of his relic, and ask Yugi to do the same. Yugi was his best friend, if I can't draw him out, he can.

[runs_on_batteries]

I was just told their name could be Wester too, but their information isn't on the roster. See if that helps Yugi and yourself... but be careful. I mean it.

[blue_ice]

...thanks.

I'm not worried about me or Yugi. I didn't realize it until just now, but I actually encountered him at a train party a few weeks ago, so he's been here for a while...he made it clear then that I'd done my penance for my crimes and that we're friends.

But we've never been afraid to challenge or punish each other when one's crossed a line. I'll recuse myself from the council decisions if you'd rather, but I'll answer any questions.

[runs_on_batteries]

No you've done and are doing nothing that deserves you to be recused. I trust your judgment. If you can get them and bring them to the gym later tonight, we'll hash this out.

[blue_ice]

[ For the first time since this started he smiles, but it's thin. ]

I really appreciate it. I'll see you all soon.

[goingthroughaphase]

Atem?

[ That's not the name that she remembers. ]

Are you sure?

[blue_ice]

Positive. He...wasn't always like this. He became one of my closest allies, maybe even a friend. After he stopped doing things like this.

I'd know his soul anywhere.

[goingthroughaphase]

[ She frowns deeply, desperately trying to think. ]

That's...not the name that he gave me, though.

[ Then again, considering all this, it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility that he had given her a fake name. ]

[blue_ice]

...what name did he give you?

It wasn't Yami, was it?

[goingthroughaphase]

No. He called himself Wester.

[ Given how enthusiastic he had been to say it, she couldn't forget it. ]

We danced at the party, and when I asked for his name...that's what he said.

[blue_ice]

...I danced with him too. At the time, the stranger felt familiar...like an old friend, but they denied it.

I'll get to the bottom of this.

[goingthroughaphase]

I just...I can't believe this.

[ The fact that there had been an actual murder was bad enough, but for someone to publically display it like that. And then to just...take matters into their own hands. ]

[blue_ice]

He'll be getting an earful from me when I find him. I understand where he's coming from, but waltzing in unannounced with his pharaoh savior complex...he's riled everyone up. Which is just what we need.

[goingthroughaphase]

No kidding. Especially after all that happened that day the communication translators went down?

[ Hadn't there been some message on the ICP about those on the train being dangerous? ]