A/N: The entire Let's Play is on YouTube, I recommend seeing it especially for everything Lani says outside of the game. Still going to Otakon for any that care and on day one my best friend will be Daniel and I will be her player shouting at her to run. Also, I know very little about Portal so I can't really make many references like I should here, sorry. On that note, I'm back~.
"-I get. I'm not waiting the whole game this time."
One of the suitors bellowed as Justine awoke with a fright to the sound.
"Ok, I sound like a woman."
Her head hurt and she saw that she was lying in a prison cell. She was still in a dazed state and assumed the voice she heard came from the same place as those chains that were rattling just outside the barred door. Justine looked over, trying to catch her breath as if awaking from a night-terror as the voice was obscured by the sheer noise pounding at her ears. She saw nothing outside and her vision was being invaded by darkness as she fought the urge to sleep. The voice sounded like none of her suitors though.
"Maybe I'm one of Daniel's victims."
Daniel? Obviously that is not you, but who exactly are you? You've never been part of my experiments before…perhaps I've finally drugged myself into madness. Oh, merde.
Noises still pounded against Justine's ears and head as she pulled herself up to her feet. A rope had been tied to the outer side of the door and somewhere above her. She only stood a moment before falling into the dark slumber of amnesia.
"Rope…leading to door…still can't quite stand up for me, huh?"
Justine whimpered as she awoke fully. She shook her head to force her drowsiness away and fully awake to wherever she was.
"Move a little."
The voice made strange sounds as she shook herself and Justine thought there must be someone there watching her.
"Wake up, lady, wake up, wake up."
Having someone watch her was frightening and Justine looked towards the door to see who was there. She saw nothing and no one save a rope. Justine pulled herself to her feet, having much more balance now, and looked around for a person. There was still no one.
"Grab your brush and put on a little make up. Ok, I can move now."
The voice mumbled and Justine grew infuriated as she found no one in the cell. Fear and worry over her location were noticeably dulled by her concern with the voice.
I will find you, salaud.
Justine tried to find him past the door. The man speaking had to be nearby.
"Woah, plus a little lag. I don't know what's up there, never done that to me…"
After seeing nothing through the bars Justine checked the cell again. She saw a phonograph but no man. The door it was then. To her dismay the door would not open, though in a prison cell that is to be expected.
"Kay…something's wrong."
It was locked firmly.
"Yes, it is locked firmly."
Where are you?
The rope ended on the crank of the phonograph. Justine figured she had to play it now, even if it did give away that she was awake to anyone else.
"Ok, hold on while I pause and check something in my video options."
Your what?
"All right, let's see if that fixed it. Ok…"
Fixed WHAT?
The voice made odd sounds as Justine looked over the phonograph before finally cranking it to play.
"Ok, I'll crank you, I guess. Why not?"
The voice sang a ditty with short syllables and a woman's voice came from the phonograph, interrupting him.
"Bienvenue, you are now listening to the sound of my disembodied voice."
"Ah shit, it's the French!"
Va t'empaler encule!
"It will serve you no purpose to look for me, for this is a voice from the past."
At least I know where your voice is coming from.
"M'kay."
The woman's voice seemed like it would break into laughter any moment.
"I bid you welcome to my cabinet of perturbation. It is my study of the human psyche – specifically yours. A set of recordings have been prepared to chaperone you through the chambers ahead."
"Gotcha."
"There are a few parts to this study and it is up to you – not only to pass-"
"Kay."
"-but figure out what elements are important."
"Pff - yeah, 'cause I'm so good at that."
"Please go on, move into the next chamber. Just remember they can all be saved, there is always a way."
The recording ended.
"They can all be saved…"
The voice gasped as Justine saw a lantern at the end of the door's rope hanging above her.
"Like my precious lantern. I have saved you, lantern!"
Just for that, I refuse to use it.
Justine still took it though. The rope pulled at the door's lock before breaking it and freeing Justine.
"You can thank me la- …or you can thank me now, I guess. All right."
The door squeaked open, much too loud for comfort. Justine was fairly brave though and a noisy door was not too frightening.
"So, uh…"
Justine jumped with a small grunt to see if being higher would assist her in seeing anyone. It did not.
"Yep, I'm clearly playing as a girl. Come on, open up, ok."
Justine opened the door and left down the dark hall confused.
Playing? I'm a game to you? What do you mean by this, you think that you're me?
"Just rusty or something. So I'm playing as a girl, so am I Justine or…?"
Wind echoed through the hall with a loud, shrill cry. Wind was wind though; Justine was more interested with the name. She did not remember hers so Justine seemed a good name to have for now.
"Shut up, castle!"
Justine walked on, liking the voice slightly more.
"Or was that voice Justine?"
That's definitely a possibility, though I'd like to know where you even heard the name Justine.
She wanted to reward the voice's entertaining company by lighting the lantern. There was no oil though and she had none on her.
Pitty.
"Really, I have no lantern oil?"
I'm afraid so, Monsieur Voice. I should name you, seeing as you have no introduced yourself.
Naming would have to wait as the castle shook just enough to let Justine know she should be moving.
"Ok…SHUT…"
Justine tried the lantern a few more times just in case. There was no so much as a flicker of light.
"Good way to start this out…ugh…"
The path split and Justine went to the right. The castle seemed to growl at her as she reached a dead end and the voice changed to an imitation.
"Angry walls!"
Oh you are just a treat. As for your name I'm thinking François would be lovely, it simply means French. I know how much you love the French.
The wind continued to howl as Justine and François went to the left.
"Anyway…"
Something that was distinctly not the wind or the castle wailed and then growled.
That can't be good.
"What?"
There was a barred half-circle window to the floor below and for a few moments Justine saw a strange figure through it.
"Hey, buddy."
The figure limped out of sight.
"HEY, BUDDY! Can you tell me something? Was the voice Justine or was that me? Like, or am I Justine? You know what I mean. You know what? Based on, like, the crap that I've dealt with from the past, I'm gonna go ahead and say that it's possible…that it's both."
What did you go through to reach that conclusion?
While walking about Justine found a cave in that offered her a broken ladder.
"Maybe I'm doing this to myself."
Well wouldn't that be illogical and cruel.
Justine took the broken ladder, using a long, decorative cord wrapped around her waist to tie it onto her back so her arms could stay of use. She then searched for an actual way out.
"Kay…still, take it…would not be surprised if that were the twist, that this girl is also schizophrenic."
Given that I'm hearing you, François, neither would I. I'm assuming you're in my head, but who knows?
"Like Daniel…"
Who is this Daniel fellow? Come now, if you're in my head you should be able to hear my thoughts.
"But you know what, I'm gonna pray for the best for this girl."
How chivalrous of you, François.
Justine found a door by a lit lantern and pulled it open, foolishly hitting herself with it.
I suppose amnesia makes one clumsy.
"Why are these all pull doors?"
Past the door was a large room filled with boxes, barrels, and many cells.
"Let's see…"
Exploring was in order, so Justine entered the unlocked cell to her right. François whistled as she heard the playing of a piano in her head.
Oh, François, are you playing for me or am I just suffering another delusion?
"Sounds…"
I'll take that to mean it is not you.
"Let's see if I can remember all these controls…"
…is it?
Justine crouched to see under the end table and amongst the loose straws. Nothing was there.
"That's crouch…"
….
The piano stopped but Justine was busy with a small glass bottle that had been on the table.
"Hello, bottle."
Nothing was inside so Justine let it be and left. Light filtered in from above and she could have sworn she heard a bird take flight as she headed to the cell across the room. François hummed as they reached the unlocked cell door but stopped before they entered. Once inside something bellowed from within the larger room. Justine stayed hidden within the cell but turned her attention to the door.
"Oh…we've already found our first monster, if that indeed is the sound of a monster."
First monster? François are you not telling me something?
"Is it the sound of a monster?"
Justine was leaning herself in a rather awkward position to see out. Whatever it was made a growling noise and she quickly ducked back in.
"Oh yeah, it clearly is, 'cause there's the drums."
Drums? François we are not even with the piano anymore, what drums are you talking about?
"Monsters love their drums! Let's see what these fuckers look like."
Justine waited in the cell's doorway, crouched down low. She could see out just find and told herself that so long as she was in this position whatever was out there would simply pass her by without notice.
"Come on, show yo'self…unless you're to my left…which I am gonna be honest, it kind of sounds like you are with these headphones."
The thing gave exasperated and labored breaths, it was probably in more pain than it could even inflict. Suddenly, a man-shaped creature crawled into Justine's sight. It had rattling chains wrapped around at least one of its legs and something around its neck, there seemed to be nothing else physically on the bald man so he was most likely naked. Being at this distance may have hindered Justine's vision but it provided her safety from what was most likely either a monster or a rapist. He may have been a simple prisoner but he was headed towards the hall and she was taking no chances.
"Oh thank God you're not. You are right there."
The man had stopped an even looked toward where Justine was. He must not have seen her though as he continued out.
"Yeah, that's right, keep walking. I may not have a pig to hide me, but I ain't afraid of you!"
How would a pig help?
"How could this happen?"
It was the man. While François did overpower most of his words they were still clear to Justine.
"Come back…!"
He was a rather whiney monster, he sounded on the verge of sobbing.
"Unless maybe I'm a fat chick, in which case, you know…pig and all that…."
I assure you, François, I am fit as a fiddle.
The man's chains rattled down the hall as Justine quietly approached the door out. He was breathing horribly and most would see him a poor victim or a baby in need.
He is man and should be fit to care for himself. He's earned no pity from me.
"I'm gonna lock you out there."
Justine could not lock the door, but she could close him out.
"Deal with it! Aw yeah!"
The closing door drew the man's attention and Justine headed for the cell just in case. Soon the man let it be as he did not return and Justine walked to the door to be sure.
"Stop playing your drums! Shut your God damn drums up! Yu hear me?"
There was a barred window on the door and Justine saw no one through it. She was perfectly safe.
"I will take those away!"
There must be drums where you are but I promise you there are none here, François. Please, I can't let the voice in my head be crazy now can I?
Justine returned to the cell to search it in peace. She remembered seeing a piece of paper there and it was still waiting on the ground when she returned.
"That's better. I saw a piece of paper over here…"
Justine crouched to pick it up and François began reading. His accent was atrocious but very entertaining so Justine allowed him to read aloud for her rather than bother with it herself.
"Le twenty-second avril, 1858."
François decided to stop trying to use his accent.
"Salutation, Inspector Marot of…Surete Nationale?"
Sûreté Nationale, François.
"As you very well know, the chief of police in Calais has turned down my request to pursue JUSTINE FLORBELLE for stealing my son away."
I love how you say my name, François.
"Ever since their affair started, El-wa-"
Alois.
"-my son, has forsaken his duties to his family and failed to pursue his career."
Aren't I the enchantress~?
"Since the law seems unable to find a crime within the realm of Mademoiselle Justine's actions, I will ask you to receive Dr. Victor Fournier…later this week. He is a respectable…ali-en…alien-ist-aye?"
Aliéniste, François.
"Whatever. An expert in human psyche, and he believes he may have found a legal way to incarcerate her. If he is able to diagnose her as an h- as a hysteric, it would provide you an excuse to have her locked up. I trust you and your agency will not turn us down. Cordial-meh-meh…"
Cordialement, François.
"Lucien Racine."
The entertainment was over and Justine tucked the note away for later.
"Ra-kin…Ray-seen…"
Racine.
Justine left to find something else of use or entertainment.
"If you haven't noticed, my French is terrible."
But very amusing, François.
"Which still begs the question, am I Justine?"
I believe so.
There was yet another cell without a lock, if only hers had been that way, and inside it Justine heard the sounds of labor. It was like being in a carpenter's work place. There was sawing, hammering, and the clanking of metal all around accompanied by a man's panting from the hard work.
"Somebody likes woodwork…kay."
There was no piece of paper and almost nothing other than chairs and shackles.
"I prefer metal."
What a man you are, François.
Justine left the cell, hearing the bird take flight again. Across the hall was another cell with something in view and a lever beside it.
"What's in this door?"
A body became clear as did the padlock on the door.
"A dead body-"
"Whoever you are, if you could help me, I would be much obliged."
Justine went to take a closer look. It was definitely the man speaking. He was held down on a table inside the cell with a piece of what looked like burlap tied over his head. It was a rather pathetic sight.
"Not a dead body…"
Justine lifted the padlock to inspect it. Clearly it was there to stay.
"Welp, I don't have my chisel."
A bell tolled and Justine tried to open the door but it simply would not budge.
"Help me, please, help me."
"Let's see…he's sitting directly under a spear…"
Justine looked to the lever and back to the man.
"Spear…lever…I'm gonna go out on a limb and say if I pull that he's gonna die."
More than likely, yes.
"Oh, ok. Ok…that's what they mean by you can save them, there is a way. Ok, what's the way to save you?"
I would be nothing short of amazed if this worked but….
Justine took one of the nearby boxes and threw it at the padlock. Puzzles were not something she appreciated.
"No…maybe something down here…."
There was a series of barred casements on the ground, though only one had hinges. Justine tried to pull it open but it would not budge for her.
Zut.
"Nope, uh…well there are more rooms."
"Can you hear me?"
Yes you big baby, I hear you.
"Yes!"
"It is not too late to set things right."
Conneries.
"Uh…ok, whatever dude. I'll deal with – come on, I'm trying. I'm not Daniel."
François I want to know who this Daniel is. It isn't nice to toy with me.
The next cell featured a bed with a bible on it and the sounds of church bells ringing as a man panted madly.
"Somebody REALLY loves their bible!"
Justine almost giggled like a school girl, but the man's incoherent chanting took the fun out of it all. François' mocking did try to remedy that.
"Make my eyes rain!"
Even though Justine did not completely understand the joke it was a nice attempt.
"Tropic Thunder reference, gotta love it."
If I knew Tropic Thunder, perhaps I would.
There was an archway that led to a dark room. Justine absent mindedly tried to light her lantern but remembered its uselessness when nothing happened. Cockroaches hissed somewhere around her. They were vile creatures but did no harm.
"Let's try over here – that's right, no uh…yeah, hiss that. Shut up roaches, you're not nearly as cute as the rats."
At least rats are furry.
The dark space was small and held nothing, it was only fit to stand and wait in. There was another open cell though, and to Justine's delight there was a note on a small table. The table had blood on it, both as words and claw marks. The table read 'Forgive me'.
"Forgive me…"
The sounds of the cell rose up. A man was making grunts of effort as something was being hit with a thump repeatedly. After a final hit there was the sound of clapping. It was the sound of a sport, something like racquetball.
"Now they're playing tennis? Yes, that was the sound of tennis, ok."
The sounds were gone so Justine's next entertainment was to be the note.
"Forgive me!"
Right after François pretended to be a whining ghost.
"Ok, let's see…"
The note was written with much care given to the calligraphy. This was a love note someone had put their soul into. IT was curious to Justine how someone locked in a cell could be happy and complacent enough to write like this. The words must have sounded just as lovely but rather than read through she allowed François the chance again.
"Justine, my love, I know I am not as talented as Malo or as strong as Basile, but I am certain my love is truer. Do not my scars tell you so? I will continue to cut myself as long as it pleases you…"
Oh dear, there went the happy tone.
"I would even kill Basile if you wish…. I know you say…you like it, but he is hurting you. I will trick him to consume the Bromide. Poor Justine, I will help, just ask me to help."
The note was signed by Alois. It had to be the same Alois as from the previous letter given the dedication and sincerity.
"Ok…that got creepy really quick. El-wa."
It is 'Alois', François.
"El-wa must be Daniel's pen name."
Well now I want to meet this Alois, or Daniel as it was. The cell is empty but he may have escaped like I have. We could have so much fun together, the three of us.
François sang with DOs as Justine ran about for a new place to search.
"Anyone there?"
Not unless your name is Daniel or Alois, I'm not.
"YES! Jesus, I will spear you if you do not shut up."
I understand the temptation, but if that is Alois or Daniel then we can't simply kill him.
Above Justine was an upper level that held at least a trove of boxes. She looked around but that was the only place with them.
"Boxes up there…nothing up there…"
A chair had been knocked over and Justine picked it up. Nothing seemed to be here and it was infuriating. To vent, Justine hit the chair on the ground and left it.
C'est des conneries.
"Oo, a bottle – no it's not lantern oil."
François may have been disappointed, but a vial of laudanum was a fine reward to Justine.
"It's fucking laudanum."
So sorry, François.
Justine took a barrel with her to work out an idea she had.
"You know what, I'm gonna see if there's, like, a way to get in…there, through, like, some air duct or something."
Good to know we share a mind after all.
Justine positioned the barrel near the hideaway of boxes above her.
"No, here…see what I can do."
It was a long way up and a lot of stacking was in order.
"God this's gonna be a…"
It will be worth it, François.
Justine took another barrel to place in front of the other.
"Whatever, I have the free time, it's my game."
If you treat it like a game, then I shall too.
"Whether you guys wanna watch me or not is completely up to you – I try to be entertaining."
There are others? Are they with you or are they watching you from afar? Are they in your head like you are in mine Is Daniel there? May I speak with him?
Justine placed a third barrel.
"Let's see…"
No more barrels or boxes were within reach so Justine ran for more as François quietly sang.
"How did you escape?"
Justine continued ignoring the man and took a locked chest with her.
"Um…by not being – well here's the thing, I grabbed a lantern. Do that."
Best advice I have ever heard, François.
"Grabbing a lantern helps. Kay, um…"
Her efforts and enthusiasm were not at their highest when Justine dropped the chest on top of the barrels only to have it fall off.
Stupid chest…
"You have to build a staircase here anyway, so…sss…ssss – stay."
Justine tried to position the chest but it threatened to fall each time.
"No, ssss – stay."
It fell.
"No. No! Bad box!"
She tried again.
"Come on."
It fell again. François shouted through his gritted teeth.
"No! No! Bad box! Stay."
It stayed.
"Good box. Let's move a little closer here…stay!"
Justine pulled the chest closer to the front of the barrel line and it stayed where she put it.
"Good box."
That had taken far too long to finish and the next object Justine saw to use was the chair she had used to beat the ground.
"I'm gonna stack a chair on you."
Something tells me it won't cooperate….
"This is gonna be the greatest staircase ever."
Whatever you say, François.
"It's actually kinda getting there, that's kinda cool…"
Justine had to stretch a bit but she managed to place the chair on the chest at the end.
"Uh…I want another one…box or something."
Chairs only made things harder so Justine ran for the one she threw at the padlock earlier.
"Whoops, wrong button. It's been so long…."
"Have you seen Justine?"
I'm fairly certain she was the voice from the past now but I'm borrowing her name until I learn my own.
"Maybe I am her, I don't know yet."
Justine took the box and tried to jump onto the bottom barrel. She stumbled and in the process of keeping herself from falling over she accidently knocked over everything she had stacked with her box. François howled.
"NOOOO!"
Oh dear….
"Fucking box!"
Only one of the barrels had fallen and Justine focused on it first.
"How do I lift you? How do I turn you? Is there a way to manipulate these that I'm unaware of…?"
Justine refused to rotate the barrel just yet; she wanted to see if François had the ability to or if he truly had no say in the real world. There was a pause.
"Man, what I wouldn't give for a, you know, control analysis or anything…nothing? Ok."
Justine almost sighed in disappointment and dropped the barrel to the ground. She hated that there was no fun to be had and threw the barrel up in a mini tantrum. The barrel hit part of a beam above her and landed in the optimum position.
"Hey! Magic."
…conneries!
Justine positioned the barrel nonetheless, unsure if François or dumb luck had done that. She threw the chest to see if François would do it again, inadvertently making it impossible to hear what he had said. François had a fondness of fast speaking and mumbling. Not understanding the voice in your head was highly annoying. She continued to throw the chest, wanting François to do it again.
Show me your 'magic' and I will do whatever you want!
The chest landed upside down.
That may work but it is not right side up.
"It's like flipping a God damn coin and trying to get it to land on its side and shit."
Oh, boo-hoo.
Justine placed the chest and reached down for the box that had ruined everything. This time it stacked nicely onto the chest at the end. She jumped down from the first barrel and threw the chair.
I want to see proper magic, François.
"You know what, here, I'm gonna grab one of these other…chairs that are already up like this."
Fine.
François mumbled as Justine took one of the chairs from the table and brought it to the stack, jumping her way up the makeshift stairs.
"Just want to set you…now don't knock anything down this time."
Va te faire foutre, trouduc!
Justine still held the chair when she stood atop the top box, inches away from the upper level.
"Ah, so close!"
Justine backed down and attempted to stack the chair.
"Sss – stay – no. Stay."
It was soon made clear that a chair was a horrible addition to a staircase.
"And I can't jump onto a chair, ok."
Justine flung the thing behind her without thought.
"Fuck it, I'm gonna grab one of these other boxes."
Back at the top of her staircase Justine stretched to grab one of the boxes from the above level. She managed to grab another locked chest.
"There, you'll do."
It stacked crookedly and after a few attempts to use it as it was she fell down. Justine was unharmed but her ego and patience could not say the same.
"Come on…come on! Come on, girl! Gah! Women…"
Brûle en enfer, branleur!
Justine jumped back up and worked to fix the chest.
"I think her odds of survival are better than Daniel's…"
It simply would not cooperate and Justine threw the chest as well as the box beneath it to either side of her in a fit.
"Over here – ok, ok! Ok, I got this shit, I got this."
For your sake you'd better.
Justine took the chest and went to stack it first.
"Ok, stand back and be…somewhat amused."
I am not amused.
With the chest stacked Justine went to find the box.
"Where'd you go? God damnit. Ok, ok!"
With the box in hand once more Justine returned up the staircase with no more tolerance for this nonsense.
"Swear to God, there better be something up here!"
Justine dropped the box into a corner formed by two beams and finally made it all the way up.
"I have gone through all this trouble – and I have made it!"
Finally!
Justine flung boxes down to the ground and out of her way in search of something useful.
"Get down there! All of you – all the boxes! Down there! Ok…I'm terrible at throwing shit in this game's physics. Ok I was gonna say, if that didn't land down there…"
At last Justine saw something.
"Oh, there is something. Lantern oil, lantern oil, lantern oil! Come on lantern oil! Ah…looks like tinder."
In the very back corner was a wax cylinder for a phonograph. The only phonograph Justine knew of was back the way the man went and she would not risk her safety for curiosity, she would simply find another one.
"Wax cylinder…neither. Ok well, maybe that's important? Any doors…? Nothing…God damnit. Yeah I'm not letting you go either, get out of here."
Justine threw the last box she was able to lift over the edge. Larger boxes were left but they were not worth the effort.
"You know, fuck it, you – you can stay, I've wasted enough time."
Justine no longer cared about safety, only time, so jumped straight to the ground rather than spend time with the stairs.
I don't give a fuck anymore, c'est des conneries!
Justine landed with a firm thud but did not falter.
"Ow, my ankles!"
Ta gueule, François!
"Anyway…um…"
"Anyone there?"
TA GUEULE!
"Oh my God…oh my God, I'm so stupid."
I know I probably don't want to know, but why are you stupid?
Justine looked up and stepped to the side seeing a small square hatch on the ceiling.
….
She walked back and forth through the room, determined to remain calm.
"That door…oh my God…ok, well at least I got the wax cylinder out of it…yeah."
With a barrel in hand, Justine went to build another staircase.
Yes…the wax cylinder…we absolutely need that…we need the wax cylinder – BAISE! VIENS M'ENCULER! BAISE TOI! Va te faire foutré, François! Tu es stupide, tu es un ane, ta mere suce des bites en enfer, et tout cela es de ta faute! Partir-tu loins de moi, fils de pute!
"Shut up!"
NON! Tu te taire!
"Ok, I'll get you out of there or something."
Je te déteste.
"Help me, please, help me."
"Oh God, that's an even higher stack. This is gonna be a pain in my ass."
François why are you laughing? And what do you mean a pain in YOUR ass I'm doing all the work! How do I know you even fixed the damn barrel in the first place?
Justine took one of the barrels from the bottom of the stack but nothing fell.
"Jenga!"
This is too fucking time consuming!
She hit the barrel against the one she had already placed.
"No, j-just stay."
Enculer une mouche, François!
Justine caught the barrel as it fell off the other.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no."
She slammed it on the ground and made it stand upright.
UGH!
"Only I can't just do that – there, good deal…"
"Can you hear me?"
OUI! FERME TA BOUCHE!
"Yes."
"It is not too late to set things right."
"Yeah, I think it is now."
Justine took the other barrel, collapsing her tower, and went to continue the new staircase. This was quickly becoming more work than it was worth.
"And I don't know what I'd be setting right, honestly. I mean, I haven't done anything wrong – unless I have. Please don't let that be the same plot twist."
"How did you escape?"
I know you must be repeating this because you can't see I'm here and just ignoring you but ferme ta baise bouche.
"Lantern. This is gonna be a fucking tall stack, hopefully I open that up and there's a ladder there."
We should be so lucky.
One of the chests was added to the stack.
"We're gonna do this shit…hopefully I don't have any more boxes – know what? I wouldn't have been able to make it up there without all these boxes. I did the right thing."
A box was added.
This is not much of a victory, François.
"I'm totally gonna keep trying to justify this!"
"Have you seen Justine?"
"No! Shut the fuck up, man."
I'm starting to like you again, François.
"Jesus Christ, you and this Justine…are you that guy that was cutting himself?"
Justine knocked the stacked box over with the one she had in hand.
I already said he could be Alois, François. Pay attention!
"Yeah, I'm – I'm an awesome stacker. You know, I'm – I'm just amazing."
Sarcasm or not, help me!
"You don't even KNOW about my stacking skills, ok?"
No, I don't know. Why? Because you won't stack anything! You're the man, why aren't you doing this?
Justine tried to stretch herself far enough to stack the fallen box on top. She was not quite tall enough and had to catch it as it fell again.
"See? You don't even know how I do shit like that."
For your sake I'll use English this time. I hate you.
This time it stacked properly.
"Is it tall enough yet?"
She could not get to the top.
"I need another box. Fan-freaking-tastic. Gotta build a God damn staircase to get up to that. Shit…"
Justine added two boxes at the end and tested her jump, noticing that she could only go so high. Her dress was not suited for this, but it was the only thing she had with pockets large enough to carry whatever she needed.
"So I can't jump on top of two boxes…"
She moved the second box to a better spot on the tower but still could not reach the top.
This is pure aggravation for me. If this is a game it's not a very fun one.
"Oh Jesus, come on…"
It simply would not work, so an infuriated Justine leapt down for another box to stack, hitting a cell door with it on her way back.
"I'm gonna keep doing this until I can make a God damn staircase I can just walk up and down."
"Anyone there?"
YES!
"YES! Christ…shouldn't be – maybe if I sneak he won't notice me."
Quietly this time, Justine took one of the boxes and carefully treaded back to her staircase. The man said nothing as she passed.
Sweet silence.
She stacked the box and went back for another.
"Help me, please, help me."
You are tempting me to pull that lever!
"If you shut up, maybe. Christ, I'm doing my best! What do you want? I'm probably just like a little girl or something."
I am a grown woman, thank you! While I would not want to, I could easily prove it to you if you were here, François.
Justine jumped with a few huffs to stack the next box.
"I mean, listen to me."
Va te faire foutre, trouduc.
Finally the staircase was complete and Justine could pull the small door open.
"Ah, ladd – hm…"
There was a ladder, but it was too high up to reach.
"Wait!"
No.
Justine had no time for waiting. She untied the cord to free herself from the broken ladder she had found earlier.
"Wait a minute, hold on…hold on…"
No, François.
Somehow Justine made the ladder click into place so that she could climb it properly. François celebrated as she tied the cord back around her waist.
"AH-HA!"
Justine leapt up and took hold of the ladder. Luckily it stayed in place as she hoisted herself up and into a dark place filled with tunnels.
Little girl, huh?
"Yeah! Do your pull-ups. Ok, now how do I save him…ok I'm just gonna keep going."
We didn't kill him; that's good enough for me.
Fog and cobwebs filled the tunnels and made it an absolutely abominable place to be as Justine crawled through. François made up another ditty using only single syllable sounds, but he was promptly stopped when a howl like the one from earlier echoed through the tunnels.
Viens m'enculer.
Justine backed up as quickly as she could while crawling in large a dress with a useless lantern in hand. François mumbled something but whatever was near was far louder than him. The sound came closer and closer until she could have sworn it was above her. She was safe, she had to be. It was nothing so Justine crawled onwards without fear.
"Whatever."
Roaches were near though; she had heard them hiss from one side of a split path.
Joy….
"Eenie, meenie, miney – I'm gonna go the opposite way of the roach. Fuck roaches."
Justine agreed and went left.
"If it were a rat, that's one thing…"
More roaches hissed as Justine crawled.
"Agh – there's roaches everywhere. Can't there be, like, rats?"
Justine tried the lantern again; vey tempted to get rid of it when it did nothing. There was another split path and she went left again.
"Rats are much cuter. I keep pressing F 'cause I want fucking lanterns, but I don't get 'em."
François started another ditty as Justine reached an opening. It was quite a fall down but she still could care less and jumped straight down. François screamed as if he were in pain as well. It was possible he felt whatever Justine did.
"God, the ankles!"
Wuss.
Justine went to her left where she found a phonograph and a large collapse of boulders blocking her path.
"Oh wait, I have uh…laudanum for that."
Fine, if it's that bad to you.
Justin fished the vial out of her pocket and drank. It made little difference for her pain as she already felt almost none, but her mind was another story.
"Beautiful."
I bet you are, François~.
"Let's see what you have to say now machine."
After a few attempts at grabbing the crank Justine saw this phonograph had no cylinder.
Oh! I – I know what to do, François! I know what to do!
"No cylinder in the phono- …. I feel really good about shit I do."
Justine managed to free the cylinder from her pocket as well and put it into place.
See, François, did you see? I did good, right?
"Ok, see, now what I did was completely justifiable. Let's hear what it says…"
The crank supplied Justine with entertainment until it finally caught and no longer turned.
Aww…
The voice from the past was giggling.
"…speak into the phonograph, Basile, mon cheri."
Basile, assuming that voice was the only other one and had to be him, spoke in a dazed and tired voice. François gave an occasional 'oh' as the voices conversed.
"…what did you put into the wine?"
"Absinthe, silly Basile, strong men like you don't drink wine – wine is for helpless women like myself."
"ABSINTHE is for men."
Basile sounded tired, annoyed, and as if he were in pain.
"My head, what is this thing, get me out. I'm not up for your games."
I like games! Can we play a game, François, huh?
The other Justine giggled as she spoke.
"No, you have to say it first. How beautiful am I?"
"Mirror, mirror, on the wall…"
Basile was not a very charismatic mirror.
"Plenty, now let me out of this thing!"
The other Justine was no longer giggling. She was rather cross with her naughty mirror.
"No, that is not what you say!"
Basile groaned.
"Your beauty is blinding."
Basile screamed either from realization or an action.
"My eyes! What have you done to my eyes!"
"So silently!"
"Justine this isn't funny, you blinded me!"
"Ha, ha, can't catch me now."
"I'll kill you, you whore!"
The recording ended.
"Ah, young love."
I could have made up a better game than that….
"Wait…whore."
Justine went off the other direction in search of a game.
"YOU WHORE!"
PUTAIN!
"Ah, amusing…"
Along the way was a door which had been boarded up, a wooden door that had a blood trail leading to it, and a stairway leading down.
"Blood trail…clean…I'm gonna go clean…"
Happy to oblige, Justine went down two of the three sets of stairs.
"Though clean leads prettily further down…"
At the bottom of the third set of stairs was a grand door with two lanterns burning on each side.
Pretty~.
"You know what, I actually want to see this blood."
Me too~!
Justine happily flitted her way back up the stairs.
"'Cause that looks like one of those doors that lead to another area."
Don't all doors do that?
"I don't wanna go into another area yet."
Justine reached the wooden door.
"'Cause this is one of those doors you open, and it's just another progress…"
Inside the room was the continuation of the blood, a torture table, some candles, two full tables, papers, and a phonograph.
"And lo and behold…another phonograph…and a torture wheel."
Justine played with the turning wheel on the table. It looked like the wheel of a ship, possibly a pirate ship, but it would not rotate very far.
"God I don't know what – oh it's a vice."
Justine lazily nudged the wheel when a rat squeaked and she quickly turned to find it.
Rat~?
"A rat! Where is he, where is he? Come here, come here little ratty-rat – there he is!"
François was positively giddy, as was Justine, as they ran about the room in search until they found a rat on the other side of the table. The small creature scampered under and around an end table that had a piece of paper atop it.
"Hey buddy, hey buddy – you led me to paper! Such a good ratty-rat."
Justine picked the paper up, it was a clipping from a newspaper, but was not fit to read. Instead, she allowed François to.
"Travesty at the Conservatory. Many Parisians had gathered last night to enjoy the performance of violin virtuoso, Malo de Vign-uhh…. It was to be the grand premiere of several new arrangements of songs by fellow composer George Bizet…Bee-zet…but the evening took an unexpected turn."
Oo~!
"Young Malo de Veeg-nuh turned up visibly intoxicated. His violin cried as the bow was jerked across the strings. The audience seemed to forgive at first, but started to boo the man off stage as he defacated – HAHAHA, oh wow, mind in the gutter here. DEFACED the beloved song La rose et la-beel – I'm sorry, now I'm just picturing the guy taking a shit on his violin."
François chuckled as Justine stifled a giggle.
"Ha, ah…. The stress apparently got the best of the young musician as he threw his bow into the audience and finally collapsed."
H-he had too much~.
"And defecated on stage."
Justine suppressed another giggle.
"Mademoiselle Justine Florbelle, who is according to rumors romantically involved with Monsieur de Vig-neh-uh, looked quite amused by the events and had two of her friends, Basile Giro-oo-uh and Al-wa Ra-see-en, carry him off stage."
Y-You can't pronounce worth shit, François.
"The evening was saved by other musicians at the conservatory…who WAS able…who were able to perform a most delightful impromptu concerto in Malo de Ving-ya-ne's absence. The audience showered their saviors with praise and calls for en – blah, blah, blah, ok so, Justine did something to the dude, gotcha."
That wasn't a very fun story. I want a better one!
"Where'd the ratty-rat go? There he is!"
Ratty-rat~!
"My God, I am easily amused…"
Justine was soon distracted by a series of drawings on the wall.
"Oh, cool, pictures…"
To the far right was a bald person's head being crushed with the table's contraption. Next to it was a bald, naked person cowering in a corner. Next was a picture with two close ups, one of a left hand with chains wrapped around the wrist and going down, the other the back view of a person from the shoulders down with their legs chained from their knees down. Finally, at the far left was a drawing of a wheel, like that of a carriage. All of these images combined themselves into Justine's drugged mind and she barely made the connection to the man from before. That man could have been this Basile fellow.
"It's like…hold on, that's like Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now, right there."
On the table was a bottle labeled 'Absinthe' that had green liquid which had dried onto the table and ground.
"And that is poison, ratty-rat you stay away from these, you stay away from that over there, ok?"
Justine did not think it necessary to correct him, she was not entirely sure he was wrong, and went to the phonograph.
"Well, let's not forget you…come on handle, handle, handle – there we go."
At last Justine got a firm grip of the handle and cranked the recording into life.
"Congratulations for coming this far,"
"Thank you!"
"I am so excited for you. I do hope you managed to save Monsieur Fournier. He was a friend and a colleague of my papa, you know. Friendly fellow, a real bon garcon, but frail of mind."
"Uh…I don't think I saved him…but I didn't kill him."
"He puts up an impressive front, but it is all an act, I assure you. Please go on, we are just getting started."
"I'm just going to assume that that guy back there was the, uh…guy that…is a – no, you stay away from that! Stay away from that."
Justine helped François chase the rat away from the green stain on the floor before heading back out and down the stairs.
Bad ratty-rat!
"Ok…I'mma leave the door open for you, don't go across the green stuff, you can crawl under the table. Anyway, I'm just gonna assume that that guy back there was whatever-his-name-was…and that I didn't save him, and that I don't care, actually."
Works for me~.
"Let's continue going down these stairs."
Down the stairs and back to the grand door Justine ran. She stopped just in front of it and admired the decorative design.
"To the libru-ary."
The door squeaked loudly as Justine opened it and entered into the library.