END GAME: THE COUNTDOWN STARTS

[sailmods]

[the prisoners wake up on cold, hard floors.

the lights are bright, glaring, a sterile cell with sterile bars facing a sterile hall. the prisoners with you, across from you, and no one else. no rocking of a ship in waves, nothing. just the prisoner and their prison.

time passes, one assumes. the rhythmic click of Friday’s heels down the hall. it’s almost like the ticking of a clock.]

Comments

[glassaxolotl]

Dedue has hardly moved in his cell since arriving. He sits statue-like and focuses on his breathing.

One might look at him and assume he is not really present. Except that when Cass approaches the bars, Dedue’s green eyes immediately dart in her direction.

[not_the_last]

"Dedue," she says, low but pitched to carry.

She doesn't know what else to say.

[glassaxolotl]

“Do you have any ideas?” he asks. “I will carry out whatever is needed.”

[not_the_last]

The trust in that offer, and the need; both of them wrench her heart in her chest. And also put a firm stop to any self-indulgent bitterness before it can properly get started, so she doesn't say my ideas have done enough harm already or anything to that effect.

"None yet," she says instead. "Are we all in here? Who can you see?"

[glassaxolotl]

He looks around.

“Edgar. Wilson.” He doesn’t see Victor because Victor is ants.

He flinches when he makes out who’s in the cell beyond that. “Daisy...”

[not_the_last]

If it weren't for that flinch she'd ask him to pass a message to Daisy, but she sees it and holds her peace.

"I can see you, Crichton and Arthur -- they're in the same cell -- and on the other side, Crabb and ... a boy I've seen before, but I don't think I know his name. Not human. Not one of the trolls either."

[gnighteverybody]

"Who, me?" Yakko asks, temporarily interrupted from his despair, "I'm Yakko! I'm a Warner Brother, Toonius Animationaamus if you want to be specific!"

[not_the_last]

"Thank you. Yakko," she relays dutifully to Dedue.

[glassaxolotl]

“I don’t know him,” Dedue says with zero emotion.

[not_the_last]

"That's all I can see."

She rubs her hands along her arms, unconsciously. It isn't actually very cold in here, but the sleeves of this outfit feel thin and inadequate somehow.