let fury have the hour,

[agogemod]

WHO? Everybody!
WHAT? Agoge's third TDM! And the death of an important guy. And some very upset royalty.
WHEN? Late 1792, Paris.
ANYTHING ELSE? Violence, as always. Please warn in subject lines for anything beyond physical violence, and move to a personal journal if things go beyond PG-13.

IT'LL BE FINE;

Paris, 1792: revolutionary france.

read the France setting infopages

arrival for new recruits

(Note: If you were one of the people who used the previous TDM and want to use that as canon while still participating in this one, feel free! The following will still happen, though the guide will apologize for a malfunction in your BCE causing you to zap through the intervening month instead of joining your comrades like you should have. You'll be assured the glitch is fixed now, and it probably is. Probably.)

You wake up in a Parisian hotel room with a kind woman standing near the door, waiting for you to awaken. You have none of your clothing, just black military-issued underwear, and none of your previous possessions beyond the one you chose (if you remember choosing) to bring with you.

The woman by the door speaks French, and if you didn't understand the language before, you do now. If you have questions as to what's going on, she'll answer: you are a member of COST, a paramilitary organization of time travelers fighting against the Regency, a tyrannous kingdom of the future who are trying to stamp out freedom and individuality in the name of peace.

She will provide you with the clothing necessary to fit in at this time, and show you how to use your BCE implant to look up information on this time period and its social and political mores. She won't let you leave until you're properly dressed to fit in, but once you are, she'll wish you luck.

KILL THE KING

It doesn't matter if you're new, or if you've been here a while. You'll hear about the execution going on today. It's as though the barely restrained urban chaos of Paris has ground to a halt. Everything is about the king. Is it really going to happen? Are they really going to do it? Can they do it? Is it even possible?

Anyone out of the loop will be filled in, but with no small amount of ridicule: Today is the day of the king's execution. His trial has wrapped up, and the National Convention voted to execute him for treason and tyranny.

The crowd at the execution is enormous, a riotous mob of passion barely restrained. Everyone is jockeying for a better view, with children and adults climbing up on nearby statues, lampposts, the sides of houses, rooves, some even hang from windows. Everyone watches the scaffold.

The prison cart arrives with no fanfare save the yells of the crowd. Within it sits a small, fat little man, looking like he's doing his best to remain composed. He's brought to the scaffold, and his crimes are read out: colluding with foreign powers, and the crime of royalty, which is anathema to the republic of France.

When asked for his final words, Louis Capet, known to some as King Louis XVI, speaks in a quiet voice. "I forgive my enemies."

When the blade comes down, the crowd errupts into cheers. Many rush forward to touch the blood of a king, dipping bits of cloth in it in an attempt to save it.

I PREDICT A RIOT

It's as though all the built up tension in Paris exploded when the king was killed.

Who knows what started it. Rumors spread like wildfire, and it doesn't matter, does it? In the end, most of Paris is swarmed with chaos, especially in the areas nearest to where the king was executed. There's no doubt that the riot and the king's death are directly related; no peasant currently throwing stones and breaking windows will deny it.

Fights are happening with great frequency. It only takes a word, a half sentence, for someone to decide you're some kind of counter-revolutionary. There is a current of anxiety in Paris that hasn't gone away; after reaching a fever pitch, it has expressed itself with violence and chaos.

let's visit the tuileries

The Tuileries was the royal palace in Paris, the last residence of the king before his death. Of course the people of France end up clamoring at its gates, screaming profanities and attempting to scale them.

The majority of the guard let them do this, making only the most token of efforts to keep the peasantry back. But one guard, a man by the name of Antoine Colin, seems to become spooked and shoots repeatedly into the crowd before someone knocks him out.

By then, though, it's too late. The crowd was rambunctious, but not murderous. Now it's bloodthirsty, and the gates are stormed. It isn't long before the common people of France are trampling through the corridors of power. Inside, they'll mostly find servants running and hiding, and lots of valuables to steal.

Most are content with that, but not all. Some clamor for the deaths of the queen and the royal children-- per the laws of inheritance, Marie Capet's remaining son is now King of France. Should he not die as well?

The queen is hidden in a safe room, a hollow wall inside her apartments. Do you try to find her? Try to save her? Try to kill her yourself?

...And what about those kids hiding in there with her?

BRING IN THE TROOPS

The riot in the Tuileries lasts several hours, well past nightfall. It's beginning to peter off, people loosing their energy or vigor, when the sound of gunfire echoes from the front courtyard.

General Lafayette has arrived to save the queen, and brought with him a retinue of personal soldiers. All on horseback, brandishing firearms and sabers, they stream through the expansive halls of the Tuileries and attack anyone who looks out of place. They're here to clean up this mess with no concern for more filthy peasants getting in the way.

Aftermath

The night is a long one. Several fires break out in various parts of Paris, shops are looted, and several die in the Tuileries. The queen has disappeared, along with Lafayette. Some say she and Lafayette died, and they'll show you the bodies for a couple sou. Others claim they saw them riding off into safety just before sunrise. There are already talks of hunting them down, trying to find the traitors.

Only one thing is known for sure: It may be advisable to stay inside for the foreseeable future.

read the France setting infopages

NAV NETWORK LOGS OOC PLURK DISCORD

Comments

[ryuji]

[He's always had this prevailing opinion about other people; an innate distrust of everything in the world around him, because other people sucked. They took, and took, and didn't stop taking until nothing was left, until there were only negative values of things in arrears. And looking around, he still shares the same feeling, albeit paralyzed by it momentarily. A few shouts, people scrambling to rush the stage, to touch the blood of a king. It hits him hard. They're more like shadows, remnants of the Metaverse made tangible- the lust, the greed, the desire of it all.

And he hates them.

And he hates himself a little too.

About to be eaten by the multiple celled organism of the mob, Ryuji's senses are blared out up until the moment Saber comes to grab onto him. The touch terrifies him, a stark contrast against the usual need and desire to be noticed and loved by others- he feels his heart drop down to his stomach, and he violently shrugs it off, not knowing that the figure behind him was a friend. One that he had never met before, but a friend nonetheless. The one he teased about not knowing what ramen was, jokingly calling him out for being so old fashioned and against the times. Startled, he looks up at him, ready to defend himself.

Ryuji's always on edge; his fists burn with ache to connect to something, impulse after impulse after impulse like his father's cursed blood had meandered through his own veins and poisoned him with this insufferable anger. When it's focused on something good, it's passion. When he's wild and reckless, hopeless, he bites back like a cornered dog. He never wants to be in that position again: powerless, as other people come and take more from him. More, and more, and more, until he's beaten down and breathless, and he's 12 years old again, skipping school because his face is fucked up and he doesn't want anyone to see him like this.

So when he grabs control of his elbow back, his other fist is raised, poised and ready to make terrible mistakes, but his face looks confused, all loosened rage and nowhere for it to actually go.]

Fuck no! Get off me!

[gerechtigkeit]

[Maybe it was foolish for him to grab for Ryuji- maybe it was a dumb idea to offer help. But Siegfried is a man who bleeds kindness, often to the point where he suffers for it in some way. So when the other jerks his elbow and immediately aims for his face, Siegfried doesn't bother stepping out of the way. Ryuji's fist connects with Siegfried's cheek and he lets go, staggering back just a little before making sure it's a good idea for him to speak again.

This isn't new to him either, sadly. He knows it's not personal- practically anyone would do the same in Ryuji's shoes.]

Sorry. [Of all the things in the world, he's apologizing for startling him. SIEGFRIED, STOP. He brushes his cheek with a thumb and shakes his head.] It wasn't my intent to startle you. [Some Frenchman to his right lets out a yell, and suddenly someone else is going for his head. This one, Siegfried easily puts up a hand to halt the incoming punch, pushing the person away and watching him swing towards someone else.]

We should get out of this crowd. ["We" instead of "you." Not that he fully expects Ryuji to agree with it, but the crowd is starting to grow more wild at this point.] It's not going to get any calmer now that the king is dead.

[ryuji]

[Taken aback for a moment, he realizes what he just did and looks at Saber, his knuckles already too red for someone so young, and he immediately feels a pang of guilt flush over his features. If he just had been more patience, less easy to scare and jump, this could've been averted, but the strings that are pulling Ryuji are drawing and quartering him at the moment, a fine line of tightrope that he absolutely can't safely tread across.






And he apologizes. You have to be one of two things to apologize after getting punched straight in the face like that: a total pushover, or... well, an M. There's no threat, no menace or malice behind his eyes, and he fucking feels it coming out of Saber like he had just done something to strike against a man's pride- but it does nothing. Either for lack of having pride to begin with, or exuding so much of it that it's like an armor, either way. Ryuji feels like shit. This riot, this time, this fevered pulse to recreate the past has him recreating his own; and Ryuji only sees himself as an idiot for lashing out like this. Just like when he had let Kamoshida get to him.]

Shit, dude. I'm sorry. I--- uh... Are you. Okay?

[The way that he speaks sounds familiar, but he can't place it. He doesn't dwell on it, but rather, instead takes the lead that Saber is offering him. It's easy to see that all of this is spiraling so far out of control that violence is imminent. Gritting his teeth, he apologizes again, and nods.]

Y-yeah. Let's... uh. Let's get the fuck outta here.

[gerechtigkeit]

[The fact that Ryuji realizes what he's done brings some relief to Siegfried- though he doesn't really show it. He's right, though; in apologizing, Siegfried only proves that he has no pride of his own, only trying to help others to the point of where he himself sacrifices too much in order to make sure others are happy or all right. It's the only existence he's known for his entire life. And while most would see it as a sad and lonely one, for the most part he doesn't mind it. If this is how things are meant to be, then he won't change them.

It's his doubt and lack of confidence that's beaten out any hope of trying to change himself. Why start when anything you do promises tragedy in the end?

At the question, Siegfried shakes his head.] I'm fine, don't worry. [And he is, really- Ryuji hit hard, but to a man who has his immortality still, he doesn't feel it. This boy sounds familiar to him as well, but he's not sure he should say anything right at this moment. His head jerks back slightly as Ryuji mentions leaving.]

This way. [He doesn't plan to take him far, honestly. Just a block or so away, still in view of the crowds.

He's hoping Ryuji doesn't object as they move, though he doubts it will happen. Still, it never hurts to expect the worst.]

[ryuji]

[There's only so many things Ryuji can regret in one day, but quickly adding to the pile of things he's done already, this is getting up there in rank. If only he knew how to stop himself doing things before he actually did them. Saber looks... well, completely unharmed by the initial thrust of his hand inward against his face, and that's disconcerting in all sorts of weird ways. He tries to hide it, but his knuckles ache, and they'll be bruised for a while from how much he gave into that first swing.

So he ends up quietly following him. It's hard to do when there's so much commotion going on, but he keeps true to the initial advice given to him. Focus on him, and drown everything out. The cheers sound like wolves, but when he can just concentrate on Saber, he feels like it's enough of a focal point to get him out of the crowd. He's done punching his way through things without realizing the repercussions.

They're a little bit of the ways out from the mass starting to form into a riot, and Ryuji slumps his posture even more. In safety, he tries to apologize again- Sorry, really... before looking up at him earnestly.

Something clicks inside his head, though. And maybe it's just a hunch, but he can't be too sure. The mannerisms, the kindness, everything about it feels so...]

...Saber?

[gerechtigkeit]

[If he were to voice any of that, Siegfried would tell him it doesn't matter. The fact that Ryuji is coherent now and able to listen is what's important. His own well-being comes second.

Walking through the crowds is difficult, but he manages to push through and allow the other some leeway amongst the masses. It helps that he's tall- he can be enough of a barrier so Ryuji doesn't have to struggle against something so overwhelming.

When they make it out, he goes to speak- but he's beaten to it first. Siegfried blinks, surprise easily in his features, before it settles into something a little more concerned.]

...Ryuji?

[That's about the only person he remembers giving his name to. He hopes he's not wrong in this.]

[ryuji]

[Confirmation slams into him like a ten ton freight train, breaking him down before he has a chance to process the fact that this was someone he actually knew. Someone he had joked around with, and he's mortified to be standing there, knowing full well what he just did and how selfless the other had been with his lack of patience.

Ah, crap. This isn't... really how he wanted them to meet. He feels flushed, his head going upward to scratch the back of his head like he had just gotten off on the wrong foot.]

Yeah. That's me.

[God damn this dude is tall.]

I uh.... Nice to... meet you?

[gerechtigkeit]

[The confirmation causes something in him to relax just a little, realizing that this is who he thinks it is, and that it's someone he likes and can trust.

Ryuji's embarrassment completely gets brushed aside, Siegfried shaking his head and letting out a slight grin.]

You shouldn't worry about it, I'm fine. And yes, likewise.

[In meeting him. It's good to finally put a face to the voice behind it- or rather, the writing- but the sentiment is the same.]

Have you ever been in something like this before?

[He could mean riots or this whole COST thing, but he's indicating the former.]

[ryuji]

[Ryuji's expression softens, and some of that guilt and regret at punching Siegfried is wound around the idea that he's already shrugging the experience off. He's not about to call him out on it, but... he does feel bad about it. He'll have to try harder in the future.

Or drive Saber nuts. Either way, really.]

Naw... can't really say I've seen anything like it.

[He's young, inexperienced, and pretty sure COST made a mistake picking him to join the cause. Still unsure of what value he actually brings, it's a crapshoot to understand the motives behind the offer. If he's having this much a visceral reaction to one person being killed, he definitely won't have the constitution for when so many more will have to die in front of him.]

It's cool, though... I just gotta get stronger, y'know?