(Untitled)
Aya-chan runs her hand across the green silk. She could afford to eat nothing but rice last week, but it was well worth it, her dress is perfect. She practically bounces in place as she waits in line. Passengers chat and make last minute arrangements. Families hug their loved ones. Reporters relay messages about the first flight of the steam ship
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When she gets close enough, Ginta reaches for Aya's hand in an attempt to pull her close. If he succeeds there will be barnacle-like clinging.
Ginta's voice is shaky and half-accusing when he addresses Mr. Bell.
"Why. Don't you think this is the kind of situation that would call for escape vessels?!"
"Because, there are enough crew members moving back and forth between the engine room and the supply rooms in an effort to fix the problem that it is best for all not to impede their progress."
Mr. Bell takes a slow breath before resuming his explanation. He still never looses his calm. In fact, he seems even more calm than before. "There are also not enough pods to carry each passenger. If we do start the evacuation, I'm sorry to say... you will not be among the first to board. Our ship has a priority to the upper class to maintain."
"What?" Ginta is feeling the intense urge to grab the man's shirt in order to interrogate him, but that would require both standing upright and letting go of Aya, and he can't see himself doing either right now. "Why wouldn't you have enough escape things?"
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Mr. Bell opens his mouth. The way he takes a breath suggests he is readying himself for a long explanation.
The breath comes out again as a sigh. "Arrogance. Arrogance of the engineers, which we alone will not have to pay for."
The little man reaches down grab Aya-chan's shoulder and pull Ginta and Aya to their feet (as the are clinging to each other like a certain marine crustacean). Aya-chan is surprised by Bell's strength.
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"Arrogance? How on earth could your arrogance play into any of this."
"We--" Mr. Bell started,"--were so confident that the ship could stand up to any risk that a good half of the escape pods were left on land in order to create more deck room."
Ginta looks as if it is taking most of his will power not to haul off and slug the engineer. As it is, his knuckles are starting to turn white from how hard he is clenching his fist.
"So you basically gambled with our lives."
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He brushes his hand over his jacket, even though it was already immaculate and smooth. He lifts his chin in a manner that is both defiant and dignified. "You must excuse me. I am needed elsewhere."
Mr. Bell makes to leave.
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"Come on," he squeezes Aya's hand. "Forget him. Let's try for the escape pods anyway. We might get lucky." And, more than anything else, it's something to do to distract them from panicking, even if it doesn't work.
He tries leading her along through the crowd by the hand. It's far from an easy task. On the one hand, the people rushing past them make it feel like they are salmon going upstream. On the other hand, the people who have gotten the same idea as them seem to be building up and it looks like their progress may slow considerably soon.
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"Ginta!"
It is not long before she can't see him anymore. With all the bodies moving forward, she must move forward or get trampled.
"Ginta!!!"
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Forget politeness, courtesy, and general concern. People are going to get pushed now so that he can catch up with her.
"Aya, keep shouting so I can follow you!"
In his haste to catch up, Ginta doesn't pay much attention to who he's shoving out of the way. Until someone decides to push back, that is.
"Hey, who do you think you are, little man?" growls a tall, hairy individual who might bear more of a resemblance to a yeti than a man.
"Sorry, but there's someone I've gotta catch up with and..."
"You and half the people on this flying barge, chump. No shoving." The point is punctuated by a shove that breaks the rule the man just instated. Ginta doesn't go far, what with the flow of the crowd pushing him forward, but he feels like he's just lost more time than he can afford. He keeps pace with the crowd, keeping his pushing to a minimum to avoid further conflict. Now's as good a time to resort to shouting again as ever.
"Aya-ah!"
The ship lurches forward again, but this time it doesn't even out again, keeping at a slant. They're loosing altitude.
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When the ship tilts, Aya slips. No one slows down. Aya lets out a loud high pitched scream. As she is crushed under the collective weight of the stampeding passengers, everything, thankfully, goes black.
((Still me, just too lazy to log out of my other rp account since it is Aya-chan anyway... ^^;))
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