Battle of Crankshaft Part 5 T

## Transcript

> [In the Argent-Grey Estate...]**Talia Argent-Grey** *(to Jareth)*We got to go check on a friend but we'll be back.**Jareth Argent-Grey**Okay**Talia Argent-Grey** *(to Seline)*Do you want to stay here or do you want me to...**Seline Argent-Grey**I want to go with you but I'm so tired.**Talia Argent-Grey**Go lay down, honey. I'm just going to go check on Raven. I'll be back**Seline Argent-Grey**After everything that happened I don't want to let you out of my sight... Would you?**Talia Argent-Grey** *(picks up Seline's hand and touches her ring)*You'll know where I am. I was going to run anyway. I'll just run by Crankshaft.**Seline Argent-Grey**Run by Raven?**Talia Argent-Grey** *(laughing)*Yeah exactly! Get some rest.**Seline Argent-Grey**Be safe**Talia Argent-Grey**Dream of the Undertaker**Seline Argent-Grey**I'm going to take a very long bath and then try to sleep**Talia Argent-Grey**Love you**Seline Argent-Grey**Love you too[Seline holds onto Talia's hand for a moment before letting go and Talia watches Seline go up the stairs. Then Talia leaves to check on Raven. Seline watches Talia go out the door and then she takes out her cards.]**Seline Argent-Grey**Why, why do I feel foreboding?[She pulls the Emperor inverted (determination, excessive control, rigidity, inflexibility things, recently have gotten chaotic is are there resistance to bring me about order or need to bring about order), the Five of Pentacles inverted (recovery from loss), and the Two of Wands (fear of the unknown). It is interpreted as decision you can go one of two ways in order to get the results you want you have to be brave.]**Seline Argent-Grey** *(Sitting at the front room table with Zachariah's skull.)*And that is why I'm feeling foreboding.**Seline Argent-Grey** *(Looking at the skull)*I wish you were still here, my friend[She puts her cards away and sits for a while but eventually goes to take her bath and go to bed.][Talia leaves the inn. It's dark now but a lot of houses are still lit. At the mine, the gate is barred guarded by a human in his late teens early twenties.]**Talia Argent-Grey**Evening**Mine Guard**Evening**Talia Argent-Grey**I just wanted to check on Raven, make sure she was doing all right. My name is Talia.**Mine Guard** *(looks at a clipboard)*Labeled family friend, uh yeah.[The guard unbars the gate and allows Talia to pass.]**Mine Guard**Raven should be at the house.**Talia Argent-Grey**Thanks.[Talia makes her way up to Raven's house. Inside the lights are still on when she knocks on the door.]**Raven Crankshaft**Just a minute.**Raven Crankshaft** *(opens the door)*Hi!**Talia Argent-Grey**Hey! I just wanted to check if everything was all right?**Raven Crankshaft**Umm, yeah. Umm, come in.**Talia Argent-Grey**Thanks.**Raven Crankshaft** *(as they move into the house.)*Tea, coffee?**Talia Argent-Grey**Coffee if you've got it.**Raven Crankshaft**All right.[Raven goes over to a fireplace where there's a kettle and pour some out.]**Raven Crankshaft**Did you hear all the gunshots? Some of the miners came back said it was a bit of a mess.**Talia Argent-Grey**That's one way to put it. Yeah they didn't even bother waiting like a soon as the mayor started denouncing them it was immediate.[Raven sighs and shakes her head.]**Talia Argent-Grey**Lost five in this fight I don't know how many you all lost out on the road.**Raven Crankshaft**I know we lost 6 employees cutting stuff down south and other people lost more than that.**Talia Argent-Grey**I'm sorry we didn't get here sooner.**Raven Crankshaft** *(shakes her head)*You got here as soon as you could and you prevented a lot more that could have happened**Talia Argent-Grey**That's the problem with joining a a group of people out to do good, is that it never feels like it's enough. unfortunately.**Raven Crankshaft** *(nods)*I can empathize**Talia Argent-Grey**Yeah**Raven Crankshaft**When you're responsible for the design and construction for all of the equipment here, when something goes wrong you feel it very personally.**Talia Argent-Grey**How is that going by the way?[Raven nods kind of distractedly.]**Raven Crankshaft**It's fine. We've been hauling out all sorts of minerals as you know.**Talia Argent-Grey**As we know yeah.**Raven Crankshaft**It's been keeping me so busy I haven't had much time to work on any new projects.**Talia Argent-Grey**I hope you get back to it.**Raven Crankshaft**I, I should, I'm...[Raven closes her eyes]**Raven Crankshaft**Once the mine is mine, I'm going to sell it to Brasshammer.**Talia Argent-Grey**I remember you telling me that.**Raven Crankshaft**I know, I know Dad wants me to keep it but I, I can't. It's, it's too much for me to keep track of, it's... Brasshammer is doing most of the financial work right now anyways. So, just got to make it official.**Talia Argent-Grey**I think he'd want you to be happy, no matter what.**Raven Crankshaft**He's sleeping now. Hasn't woken up in the past 2 days.**Talia Argent-Grey**I'm sorry.**Raven Crankshaft** *(sighs)*He's had a good run.**Talia Argent-Grey**Never feels like enough though does it?**Raven Crankshaft**No.[Raven has tears in her eyes.]**Raven Crankshaft**If you'll excuse me for a moment I'm going to put on another pot of coffee.[As Raven gets up Talia takes her hand and squeeze it gently in support.]**Talia Argent-Grey**I know what it's like to lose family.[Raven nods and then leaves to go to the kitchen.]**Death's Whisper**It is time.**Talia Argent-Grey** *(looks around)*What?!?**Death's Whisper**It is time.**Talia Argent-Grey**What's time?[Talia's arm reaches down of its own accord and draws out Death's Whisper and brings it up.]**Death's Whisper**One name off your list, now one off of mine. His time has come.**Talia Argent-Grey** *(nervously)*Now?**Death's Whisper**Now.[Talia looks around the flame in the lantern has stopped flickering though it is still there, the the curtain that was fluttering in the breeze has paused mid flutter as time has stopped.]**Talia Argent-Grey**What do you want me to do?**Death's Whisper**Go to him.[As Talia goes upstairs her feet barely seem to touch the ground that she moves almost noiselessly. Talia passes through the door to find Blitzen Crankshaft laying in bed.]**Death's Whisper**Take his hand.[Talia reaches out with her left hand, Death's Whisper in her right. As Talia grasps Blitzen's hand, his eyes open and he looks up.]**Blitzen Crankshaft**Talia, it's time isn't it? Tears stream down Talia's face.**Talia Argent-Grey**I'm so sorry.**Blitzen Crankshaft** *(smile sadly and pats Talia's hand)*I've had a good run, I'm tired.**Blitzen Crankshaft** *(looks past Talia)*Well there it is.[Behind Talia on the wall a door has appeared. A black solid wood door with a white crow skull.]**Death's Whisper**Open the door. Lead him through it.[Wordlessly Talia helps Blitzen to his feet. He gets up from the bed and follows Talia to the door.]**Blitzen Crankshaft**Talia?**Talia Argent-Grey**Sir?**Blitzen Crankshaft**Check in on Raven.**Talia Argent-Grey**You have my word. She's..., she's smart.**Blitzen Crankshaft**That she is[the door opens, Blitzen steps through and the door shuts behind him.]**Death's Whisper**A name for a name.**Talia Argent-Grey**Is it always like that?**Death's Whisper**No[Talia sees Blitzen's body before she returns down the stairs and also cease herself setting with a look of surprise on her face.]**Talia Argent-Grey**What is it like other times?**Death's Whisper**Sometimes, they do not wish to go.[At Death's Whisper's urging Talia touches her own hand returning to her body and time starts again. Tears stream down Talia's face. Raven returns a moment later holding another kettle.]**Raven Crankshaft**What's wrong?**Talia Argent-Grey** *(looks towards the stairs toward where Blitzen is)*I am so sorry.**Raven Crankshaft** *(turns and looks following Talia's gaze and drops the cup she's holding)*Why? what, okay..[Raven gets a look of concern on her face she gets up and comes over to Talia]**Raven Crankshaft**What's wrong?**Talia Argent-Grey**I'm so sorry.**Raven Crankshaft**Papa?[She makes her way toward the stairs before looking back at Talia]**Cris Sass-Council**Talia looks a mess.[The door opens to the bedroom then soft crying follows. Talia follows Raven up the stairs and finds Raven with her face buried in the mattress. Talia puts a sympathetic hand on Raven’s shoulder.]**DM Molly**She eventually calms down, it takes a while. She puts a hand on your shoulder and comes up from the mattress taking a shuddering breath.**Raven Crankshaft**He's gone.**Talia Argent-Grey**I'm sorry.**Raven Crankshaft**I'm,... I need to be alone.[Talia leaves the Crankshaft house. Under the waning crescent moon, Talia leaves town making her way to the Garden of Titania. She is greeted by the blue, purple, and pink leaves of the fey trees and Quartz who is silently tending the garden. Talia makes her way to one of the trees, sits at its base and starts crying. At some point, she sets Death’s Whisper on the ground next to her staring at it.]**Talia Argent-Grey**Can you hear me?**Death's Whisper**Yes.**Talia Argent-Grey**Have you asked everyone who wields you for the same task, to go down your list?**Death's Whisper**Yes**Talia Argent-Grey**How many of them are strong enough to do it?**Death's Whisper**None. My last wielder though he was already well on his path to madness he came drunk on the feeling of power it gave him. The one before him couldn't bear the thought of the responsibility and so went through the door himself.**Talia Argent-Grey**Was there anybody that just did what they had to do?**Death's Whisper**Some did for a time but in the end all go through the door.**Talia Argent-Grey**Yeah, eventually. Got my measurements chiseled into a \*\*\*\*\*\*\* rock somewhere. It's only a matter of time before this line of work just puts me down at one point. What happens to you if I can't go through with it?**Death's Whisper**I will wait the list is always there, always changing. If not you then another will come.**Talia Argent-Grey**How many have wielded you that acted like the last one?**Death's Whisper**More than one.**Talia Argent-Grey**To be perfectly honest, I don't think I'm anywhere near strong enough. But if not me then who? Somebody like the last one? Or somebody else who just killed themself? And the bargain is a bargain. But you'll forgive me if I spent the next few hours crying.**Death's Whisper**Shed what tears you must.[Death’s Whisper falls quiet.][At Argent-Grey Estate shortly after Talia leaves, Seline's sense of Talia's presence from her wedding band disappears for 3 seconds before returning.]**Seline Argent-Grey** *(whispers)*Oh no.[Seline puts down the book she was reading.]**Seline Argent-Grey**Jareth are you awake?[She dashes up to Jareth's room to find him asleep. She quickly writes him a note, “going out, be back later, Seline” and leaves it for him. She starts to follow the direction of Talia's presence from The ring even when it turns it moves toward the mountains. When Seline arrives in the Garden of Titania, she sees Talia with her back up against a ------- tree with Death’s Whisper lying on the ground in front of her... crying.]**Seline Argent-Grey**Oh gods![Seline quickly makes her way to Talia's side.]**Seline Argent-Grey**What happened? What happened? Is everything all right?[Seline quickly checks her over for injuries.]**Seline Argent-Grey**What happened?[Seline looks at the gun]**Talia Argent-Grey**What are you doing here?**Seline Argent-Grey**I was worried, so I came to find you**Talia Argent-Grey**Why, I told you I was going for a walk**Seline Argent-Grey**Apparently you did go for a walk, a very long walk**Talia Argent-Grey**Yeah to the garden.**Seline Argent-Grey**Yes that is where we are. What happened? Why are you crying? Are you hurt?**Talia Argent-Grey**I'm not hurt oh, stop.[Seline backs up.]**Talia Argent-Grey**Just wrestling with decisions is all.**Seline Argent-Grey** *(swallows hard)*What, what?**Talia Argent-Grey**Blitzen Crankshaft died.**Seline Argent-Grey**oh, I... Undertaker rest his soul come.**Talia Argent-Grey**Yeah, it's resting all right.**Seline Argent-Grey**Yes, yes, with the Undertaker now but...**Seline Argent-Grey**Forgive me, Talia but you usually are not the type to get this upset by the event of an old person we met once who had fallen ill to begin with dying.[Talia's lips tremble like she's trying to talk.]**Seline Argent-Grey**It wasn't… the Venassi?**Talia Argent-Grey**No, it was me.**Seline Argent-Grey** *(incredulous)*What?**Talia Argent-Grey**Well not really me, I just took him to the door.**Seline Argent-Grey**What door?**Talia Argent-Grey**I don't know but a door appeared, he told me he was tired and to keep an eye on Raven and he just went through but he was still lying there and I don't want to be in the room anymore so I went downstairs and there I was just like confused and...[Seline looks down at Death's Whisper.]**Talia Argent-Grey**It was... we had... The candles weren't flickering but apparently, they're not all like that, apparently sometimes people don't want to die so it's going to be even harder.**Seline Argent-Grey**Harder than what?**Talia Argent-Grey**The list…**Seline Argent-Grey**The list.**Talia Argent-Grey** *(points to the gun)*His list**Seline Argent-Grey**The list**Talia Argent-Grey**apparently Crankshaft was on it we're all technically on the \*\*\*\*\*\* list. It's just that it changes constantly so I'm assuming it's different for everybody or different by..., I don't even know how it \*\*\*\*\*\*\* works but it was, I just went to check on Raven. And she was all right but when she left the room, Death’s Whisper said it was time and then everything stopped. Like time just stopped. I walked upstairs to his room and took his hand and he opened his eyes and talked to me**Seline Argent-Grey** *(looks down at the gun)*The old death god’s scythe**Talia Argent-Grey**He said he was tired and that he knew it was his time[Seline pulls Talia into a hug, Talia hugs back. As Talia talks Seline makes the connections in her head.]**Talia Argent-Grey**There was a door there**Seline Argent-Grey**a black door? Crow’s skull?**Talia Argent-Grey**yeah, yeah that's the one. Then it closed and…**Seline Argent-Grey**Did he recognize you?**Talia Argent-Grey**Yeah, he did[Seline pulls back and runs her hand down the side of Talia's face.]**Seline Argent-Grey**I'm glad it was you**Talia Argent-Grey**That does not make it any better**Seline Argent-Grey**Talia, imagine if it had been John Xhin or someone else, anyone else**Talia Argent-Grey**I know**Seline Argent-Grey**In his last moments the person then let him to the door was someone that he knew, someone that had helped him before and now, now he is at rest. He is with the Undertaker.[Seline pulls Talia back into the hug.]**Talia Argent-Grey**What if it was John Xhin?**Seline Argent-Grey**What do you mean? It wasn't**Talia Argent-Grey**I know, but imagine if it was, imagine if it was someone like him. And that was the last thing that someone saw oh, the last thing that somebody had on this Earth was something like that. I'm not strong enough to do this but if not me it could be someone else like John Xhin period this is going to be really difficult.**Seline Argent-Grey**yes, it is…[Seline squeezes Talia again]**Seline Argent-Grey**But no matter what I will be here with you to fight this battle with you as well. If there is anyone strong enough to do this it is you. You really are the Reaper now.**Talia Argent-Grey** *(gives Seline a look Talia laughs a little at that.)*Well that was borderline inappropriate, thanks**Seline Argent-Grey**This is a burden that no person should have to carry**Talia Argent-Grey**It wasn't meant for a person it was meant for a god but that god's dead.[Seline looks at the gun]**Talia Argent-Grey**No, no, don't you 2, I don't want to, no...**Seline Argent-Grey**I doubt it can hear me anyway**Talia Argent-Grey**I'm sure, he can hear you, it's just that he can't answer you. Don't get in a pissing match with the gun[Seline laughs]**Talia Argent-Grey**Please?**Seline Argent-Grey**I'm not going to**Talia Argent-Grey**I don't like the way you said that. It was very evil[Talia picks up the gun and she puts it back in its holster]**Talia Argent-Grey**Sorry I worried you how did you know?**Seline Argent-Grey**It was the ring. I felt…, the pull that I feel towards you it blinked out for 3 seconds. And I thought, oh gods I had a terrible feeling of foreboding before you left I almost didn't let you go I almost told you to wait until morning when I come with you.**Talia Argent-Grey**Oh, I'm sorry**Seline Argent-Grey**Now, I know why**Talia Argent-Grey**It was so strange… it was everything stopped like candles stopped flickering it was still illuminating the place but everything froze. That must have been when the happened he was very disconcerting you looking back at yourself looking surprised**Seline Argent-Grey**Like a mirror?**Talia Argent-Grey**No, like a different entity**Seline Argent-Grey**I could only imagine**Talia Argent-Grey**it was unsettling to say the least but umm cross off someone on my list cross off, someone on his. All I could tell Raven was that I was sorry.**Seline Argent-Grey**Did you tell her what happened?**Talia Argent-Grey**No, I didn't**Seline Argent-Grey**I don't think she needs to know, I don't think anyone needs to know this**Talia Argent-Grey**No, I don't want anyone to know. The only reason I left is that she said that she wanted to be alone. What am I going to say no? Is Jareth still…?**Seline Argent-Grey**He was asleep when I left**Talia Argent-Grey**Did you bring the knob or did you leave it there?**Seline Argent-Grey**That would have been smart wouldn't it? Sorry I was a little bit panicked**Talia Argent-Grey**No, that's fine we should head back. I just needed...**Seline Argent-Grey**Let's stay here for a bit not long just a little bit.[Seline can feel some of the feywild here, an odd blurring the world doesn't feel as sharp here. Talia looks up at the Moon.]**Seline Argent-Grey**Is she speaking to you?**Talia Argent-Grey**No, I haven't been as diligent[Seline lays her head on Talia’s shoulder]**Talia Argent-Grey**Maybe I should start that up again**Seline Argent-Grey**Start what?**Talia Argent-Grey**Trying to feel something from them**Seline Argent-Grey**From who?[Talia lifts up her holy symbol the symbols for the Warden, the Moon, and the Wolf.]**Seline Argent-Grey**I have no words of wisdom or any words of comfort for you this is beyond me. But whatever it is I can do to ease this burden on you I will do.**Talia Argent-Grey**Thanks, darling, I don't know what I need**Seline Argent-Grey**That is okay that is all right it is appropriate actually**Talia Argent-Grey**It's just been a mess**Seline Argent-Grey**It sure has and I have a feeling it's going to get messier**Talia Argent-Grey**Yeah our next stop is 42nd Central with missing children things are about to get...**Seline Argent-Grey**fun**Talia Argent-Grey**That's one word for it**Seline Argent-Grey**It's a word I choose to use**Talia Argent-Grey**That's optimistic**Seline Argent-Grey**I know it's optimistic**Talia Argent-Grey**yeah, you are**Seline Argent-Grey**I am I have such a good attitude about everything**Talia Argent-Grey**It's good I can laugh**Seline Argent-Grey**It's good you can laugh I have an idea as to Duskdown but it's not important right now**Talia Argent-Grey**We should be heading back**Seline Argent-Grey**It's late I should have brought the doorknob.[They walk back.]

## Characters

### Players

* Seline Argent-Grey
* Talia Argent-Grey

### NPCs

* Jareth Argent-Grey
* Raven Crankshaft
* Death's Whisper
* Blitzen Crankshaft