Requiem æternam dona eis

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

[There is a large funeral pyre on the Plane. It is large enough to hold over a hundred bodies. The pyre is edged in a thick wall of stone to contain the fire. There are a handful of devices embeded into the stonework to contain the fire and the heat. There is also a transmat in the pyre.]

[In a moment, all the bodies from the onsen still there are transmatted onto the pyre. They're under the canvas, so no one has to see the gruesome sight.]

I should say something then, shouldn't I? [Benny is awkwardly quiet for a moment, not really sure how to proceed. If only they were enemies, they could send them off in some grand Martian manner. Oh well. She looks to Brax, and then back to the pyre again, clearing her throat and starting again] Right, well we're gathered here today-- [she stops short, making a face] Oh, that's weddings, isn't it? Bullocks. [she fidgets, looking to Brax again, before taking another deep breath and trying again] I can't say I knew anyone I saw in that room. A few looked familiar, but in the face of it all, I really can't say I could distinguish one from the other. I don't know what kind of people they were, but regardless, they deserved better than that display. [another pause, and she turns to Brax] Oh, I'm rubbish at this. Can't you say anything?

[Braxiatel, in funeral greys, shakes his head. His voice is quiet.] Not unless you want the funeral rites for a fallen Martian warrior. Or, Heavens forfend, one of my own kind. [He places a hand of support on Benny's shoulder.] This isn't for grieving friends and family, Benny. This is for them and for you.

For me? [she pauses at that, and almost protests, but stops short] Right, well maybe just a moment of silence then. I know if it were me, I'd want to tell myself to shut up about now, too. [she looks to the pyre, and then back to Brax] Do we light it now?

[Braxiatel hands Benny a lit torch.] Just put it to the pyre. The stone is programmed to guide the flame.

[Benny stares at the torch before taking it. She approaches the pyre, hesitating once more as she stares it, before finally putting it to the pyre and watching it all burst into flames. She doesn't back away right away, but finally she backs away, returning the torch to Brax]

[Braxiatel accepts the torch, then blows it out. Silent, he reaches out to hold Benny's hand and watch the pyre burn.]

[and Benny in turn takes Brax's hand, her eyes never leaving the pyre]


{ooc; after this post.}

Comments

[buckingbronco.livejournal.com]

[Dino has a fairly good idea of what's going on here. He watches the pyre with an almost relieved look on his face.]

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

[Benny notices Dino but isn't sure if she should speak up or not. Finally she decides she should at least acknowledge Dino]

It's all cleaned up in there at least, as far as I know. Are you okay?

[collector]

The blood isn't spreading any longer, anyway. Hopefully, we won't see any more of it for a while.

[ooc: :|b]

[buckingbronco.livejournal.com]

[Dino gives himself a bit of a mental shake] I'm fine, that was just...well, unnerving is kind of mild for it.

I was actually a bit worried about how we were going to clean all that up.

[ooc: Works for me!]

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

Yeah, tell me about it.

Thank goodness for space aged technology. Takes all the mess out of cleaning up a blood bath.

[pause]

Sorry. That was uncalled for. I'm...well I'm rather rubbish at these things, if you couldn't tell.

[collector]

Very few people are good at dealing with massacres. Something we should all be grateful for, I think.

[buckingbronco.livejournal.com]

Yeah, this is one of those things you really don't want to get used too. Hopefully this will be the last we see of it.

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

How long have you been here for? I only mean to ask, just because I wonder how common something like that really is here.

[collector]

This is the first in my few months here, but I only have about a month's advantage on Bernice.

[buckingbronco.livejournal.com]

I've been here for a while...couple years at least. I can't say it's always been pleasant but I've never seen anything like that before. The closest thing I can think of was when they suddenly decided to turn everyone's realities into bad horror movies.

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

They what? Oh, tell me we won't have to do that.

Really, having to deal with fourth wall invasions is absolutely maddening. You would think the world of fiction and fantasy would have the decency to properly stay where it belongs.

[collector]

You would, and then you would come across the Master of the Land of Fiction. And then you'd learn better. Or, worse yet, people like the Eternals who turn reality into a land of fiction.

[buckingbronco.livejournal.com]

[Is getting really really confused now, but he's trained himself to hide it] Luckily they don't seem to do things like that often. They seem to like targeting individual people more.

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

Well, as long as it's just individuals.

Sorry. Have you been here very long?

[collector]

Personal vendettas are easier to counter than the wildness of a mass murderer.