the train to the afterlife meme.

[bottecellie]

The Train to the Afterlife Meme

Congratulations: You are dead.

 

Maybe you know how, maybe you don't. Perhaps the memory is fuzzy, or perhaps it's crystal clear down to the look in your comrades' eyes. Maybe it was your time; you've done all you wanted to. Or maybe you weren't at all ready to go, maybe you went out kicking and screaming - but none of it matters. You know you're dead, and the train is taking you to an afterlife. Perhaps an afterlife of your choice; you might've earned that heaven. Or perhaps you've earned something else entirely.

 

It'll be a bit of a journey, though, so you might as well take your time and talk to the other people in your coach. Death knows no place: most of them are strangers, even from faraway worlds. But death knows no time either, so who knows, some of them may be people you know, even if last you knew, they were alive - or long gone.

 

Oh look, here comes the snack cart.

 

All the usual:

 

• Post with your character's name and canon in the subject line.

• Said character is now dead for whatever reason - canon, AU, what have you. They are on a train with other dead people from many other times, places and worlds.

• Characters don't know for a fact where they're headed - just a general awareness that they're going to some kind of afterlife. Whatever they think it is is up to the player.

• This meme is built especially for cross-canon interaction, and potentially for threadjacking and group threading - if you're interested, may be a good idea to state as much in your subject line.

• Tag around and play nice!

• TRIGGER WARNING: Meme obviously deals with death and may deal with other unpleasant themes as a result. Please be cautious.

Comments

[puppy_lancer]

Shit, maybe you should've called the cops.

[vermicompost]

[If only.]

My uncle's a powerful mage. I don't know what he'd do if the police were involved. He might alter their minds, or worse. If only there was something else I could do for her, but I'm dead now. It's too late.

I'll remember your Master for you. At least I can do that. I wish things had gone better for her.

[puppy_lancer]

You know...if there's another Grail War and she participates, I'll try my best to get summoned as that kid's Servant. It'll be in return for you remembering Misaya for me.

[vermicompost]

No-- I don't want her to be in the war. [He hates the thought.] That's--it's awful. The war is terrible.

[Not that he means to reject Lancer's kindness.]

But thank you. That's kind of you to offer. I'm sure you'd do everything you can to protect her, if that ever happens. [Lancer seems honest and earnest, after all.] But will you remember talking to me?

You don't have to do anything for me, really. I'm just glad I can do something for someone. [He looks down at his hands again. He'd failed everyone else.]

[puppy_lancer]

Ah...probably not. Maybe if I try really, really hard, I could retain something. Subconsciously. Don't worry. First thing I'll do is kill your asshole family and get her the hell out of there.

You're a really nice guy. Not often I run into people making those offers.

[vermicompost]

[He has to smile a little, Lancer seems so determined. And he does want that to happen, for his family to die, for Sakura to be safe.]

Maybe you can, if you try. I'd like that. That's all I wanted.

What's your name? Your real name, I mean.

[He shakes his head.] I'm not that nice. I wanted to be, but the war happened.

[puppy_lancer]

...Cu Chulainn.

[They were both dead, so no need for that secrecy.]

Hey, even Misaya used to throw rocks at my head so hard that it almost spilled my brains out. I'd definitely put you down as nice.

[vermicompost]

Oh. I've heard of you. Of course. It's nice to meet you, Cu Chulainn.

[It's more than a bit odd talking to heroic spirits this way. At least this one seems much less horrible than certain others. He almost seems like a regular person.]

I certainly wouldn't throw rocks at your head.

[Why would he?]

But I've done terrible things.

[puppy_lancer]

I suppose everybody in this day and age has heard of me somehow.

[Or at least, any magus.]

You have? What kind of things?

[vermicompost]

A lot of people. Anyone who's studied mythology, I'm sure. You are a hero.

[He hesitates.]

I killed someone, I was supposed to protect. I didn't mean to. I didn't want to, but I did.

[puppy_lancer]

[There's a moment of silence, and then...]

I don't think you can blame yourself if it's what you needed to do. Misaya...she...I killed her too. Her zombie, that is.

[vermicompost]

It wasn't what I had to do. I lost control. I lost myself.

I was so full of hate and anger.

[Now he seems worn out, drained.]

I'm sorry about what happened to your Master. What you had to do.

[puppy_lancer]

Temper issues, huh. Can't say I'm strangers with that either.

[He slaps Kariya on the back to try to cheer him up.]

At least you've gotten rid of it now!

[vermicompost]

[It's not that he doesn't appreciate the friendly back pat, but he shakes his head as he looks up at Lancer.]

I killed her. [Or so he thinks.] I shouldn't be forgiven for that.

But you're right, it's good not to feel that way anymore. It's an awful feeling. All of it was awful. The whole war.

[puppy_lancer]

I killed my son.

[Lancer's confession is so soft as to be almost unintelligible.]

[vermicompost]

[Kariya's listening closely, so he hears. His expression changes, softening.]

I'm sorry. I understand.

I killed someone I love, too.

[puppy_lancer]

[He nods.]

Heh. I'm acting like a whiny kid, aren't I?

[vermicompost]

No, you're not.

You have a reason to be upset. It's not always wrong to show emotion. Just if you get carried away by it.

[puppy_lancer]

I'm a hero, though.

[He was physically tougher than the average person. Stood to reason that he should be emotionally tougher too.

[vermicompost]

A hero can be upset, can't they? Your task is over now.

But maybe I wouldn't know. I'm not a hero, and I feel upset. I wish there was still something I could do, but there isn't.

[puppy_lancer]

Man, I wish this place came with a bar. These story go best with a mug of beer.

[vermicompost]

[At this, he smiles a little again.

He hadn't expected he'd be able to cheer up again, even such a small amount. He can't stop thinking about Aoi, about Sakura and Rin, but at least he can smile a little.]

I guess they do, don't they? It's been a while since I had a beer. Maybe I could use one.

[puppy_lancer]

...Really?

[He seems horrified he only found out now.]

You knew and you didn't tell me?

[vermicompost]

Well-- [He doesn't want to disappoint Lancer.

I meant stories do go well with a beer.

But someone did come by offering things, before you came. Food and drink, maybe. I wasn't paying attention.

[He'd been too lost on his own world.]

[puppy_lancer]

[He sinks into his seat and covers his face with his hands.]

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck...