END OF CHAPTER 3 ; EXECUTION

[themodsgrimm]

The Story Continues... END OF CHAPTER 3 - WEEK 329 Narrators Remain ; It's execution day, naughty murder children. Breakfast is served in the dining hall, all the better to fortify you for what is to come. Wherever you might wander in the castle, you will find yourself drawn to the foyer when the clock strikes not twelve, but ten. In the distance, there is the sound of clanking armor. Yamatonokami Yasusada appears, flanked on either side by suits of armor, escorting him to his punishment. His expression is one that may be difficult for anyone who isn't a sword spirit to read, but he seems to have accepted his fate. A moment later, the Tiger appears on the foyer's staircase. Her hand trails down the banister as she sashays down it, and she takes her place at the head of the group, standing in front of what appears to be a wall. "Come along, darlings," she says. "The execution awaits." You blink, and then it's there — a door leading to the outside. The Tiger steps through it. You have no choice but to follow. Welcome to your third execution post! Please see here for the results of yesterday's voting. In addition, make sure you fill out your CR Chart for Chapter 3! If you have any questions, please ask on our Discord server or ping us on plurk. Please direct pings for the NPC to Danielle (Discord DMs preferred, then entrappings), as she will be taking point for today's NPC, and the moderator team will be on deck for all other questions. full navigation. locations taken (statuses) stories (profiles) info & faq wishing well private conversations

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EXECUTION

[themodsgrimm]

yamatonokami yasusada ; t͞o̶ ͡b̕e c҉ơnt̨in̸ųed̵

The group finds themselves just outside the castle, at the top of the steps. They are urged to step aside by the suits of armor that guard Yasusada and usher him forward.

This is the part where, judging by the other two To Be Continued executions the group has witnessed, his appearance ought to change - but it does not. Instead, just as with Ann, Yasusada and his armor escort come to as top on the lawn, and the Tiger moves to join them, her gait graceful but her smile sharp. She looks back to those on the stairs, contemplative.

Then, eyes glittering, she beckons to someone in the crowd.

"We were going to go along with vote," she purrs. "But we heard a very convincing argument to do otherwise. Souji, darling, why don't you join us?"

Souji will find his legs moving of their own accord to spur him on to the lawn, though everyone else remains frozen, powerless to stop him. When he comes to a stop, the Tiger speaks again.

"Don't you feel lucky? You get to fulfill his dying wish." She claps her hands together. "How delightful! Now, don't worry... we'll provide what you need to carry this out. You simply have to make a choice. But choose wisely - whatever you pick must be used to execute him. No takebacks!"

With a wave of her hand, she procures a sheet of parchment with three lines written on it:

The Deer and the Heart
The Fox and the Woodsman
The Goat and the Vine
What will Souji use to send Yasusada off to his happily ever after?

[okitactless]

[When Yasusada appears, he looks different.

His sword, of course, is missing, as he'd given it to Okita before being led away in the aftermath of the trial. His hair is still down, whether by choice or forgetfulness. But most importantly, he's lacking the pale blue haori he'd only removed once before, these past three weeks--for the same purpose with which he's done everything. For Okita.

He looks apprehensive, understandably, but when Tiger speaks up, a seemingly out-of-place smile blossoms on his face. There's genuine gratitude when he looks at her, and he offers a small bow.]

Thank you, Tora-kun.

[Looking back at Okita, his smile turns bittersweet with melancholy--but it does not fade, and he does not tremble or tense with fear. Whatever Okita chooses, he will accept without protest.]

[sanguinairy]

[Souji, on the other hand, has tied his hair up for once today. It's pulled out of his face and held back with a thin strip of cloth, and over his shoulders is the haori that Yasusada is missing, the blade brought along with him too. If it weren't for how entirely exhausted he seems, it would almost be the way things were before - back in the days they'd spent time talking about over the night.

He may be propelled forward by some unknown source, but for Yasusada's sake, he moves with all the grace he can muster. His expression is soft but difficult to read; he can't quite manage a smile back just yet, but hopes that's enough to convey everything he doesn't have the words for.

To Tiger, he just nods a little, maybe in acknowledgment of her words. In any case:]

...The Deer and the Heart.

[themodsgrimm]

[Tiger watches the two of them, and like with Ann, when Souji makes his choice, the other options disappear from the parchment before that vanishes as well. In its place, she produces a blade, thoroughly rusted, and offers forward it in her delicate, clawed hands.]

[sanguinairy]

[Well, it's a familiar weapon, at least.

There isn't any hesitation as Souji reaches forward to take the blade that's offered, and little pause before he turns his attention back to Yasusada. There's no way to get a clean cut with a blade this rusted... The kindness of a decapitation is out of the question, then. For that and the state of the blade, Yasusada gets a look that seems somewhat apologetic. He'd hoped to offer something better.

But if this is what he has, then this is what he has.]

Yasusada. [A further softness in his voice. And then, as customary for executions from his own time:] Are you prepared?

[He knows he doesn't need to ask.]

[okitactless]

[Admittedly, he'd hoped for one last, selfish wish to be granted. He'd really, truly hoped that Okita would be permitted to use his own blade--to use him, for this. Even if his steel never again tastes blood, he'd wanted Okita to have that much.

But he doesn't protest; he doesn't dare. He's already asked for so much, in the hopes that it could ease Okita's pain just a little. He won't risk undoing all of that just to ask for one more thing.

At least it's a sword. No matter its state, they've been given that much.

He doesn't respond right away; his eyes, as big and bright as ever, search Okita's face carefully, like he's trying to figure out some way to make this easier on him. Would it be better to break from tradition, and reach out for Okita again, like he wants to? Or would it be easier to turn his face away, and simply kneel in silence?

In the end, he gives in to selfishness. That's what got them into this mess in the first place, but...

Then as long as we're both here, I'll hold you as often as I can. As often as you'd like.]

Yes. [Simply, calmly. His hands shake as he reaches out for a final embrace, but just once, and his smile is still real.] Thank you, Okita-kun. I'm glad it's you.

[Kashuu was the one who got to give up his life for Okita, back then. Now, it's his turn. He can only hope that Okita understands how relieved he truly is, that he can fulfill his purpose and serve his master to the end.]

[sanguinairy]

[When Yasusada reaches out for him like that, there's a split second where the forced control in his expression cracks, and it takes every thread of self-control he's built up over the years not to dissolve on the spot.

Take up the sword and never cry in front of us again.

Even now, he doesn't cry. His breath comes in a few uneven bursts like he's trying not to, like the illness in his lungs wishes to make itself known, but he grits his teeth and forces it back. Forces all of it back. After another second, he reaches out with his free hand instead, pulling Yasusada to him. Maybe his grip is the one that's a little too tight this time, but he hopes his sword will forgive him for it.]

...Thank you for being by my side for so long.

[He just wishes that he could have been better.

But he won't draw this out. He's shifting back to release Yasusada after another beat, pulling the rusted blade back and aligning his arm in a way Yasusada will certainly recognize. One last look - a careful, wordless one - and he drives it forward toward his chest with the needlepoint accuracy that could be expected of him - aimed right through the spaces in his ribcage, guided toward his heart. It'll take some struggle to push through considering how rusted the blade is, but even with his sickness, it's easy to summon a little extra strength when in a situation like this.]

[okitactless]

[If Yasusada notices the slip, he doesn't comment. (Of course, even if he had, it wouldn't have been any sort of judgment--he's never once thought of Okita as weak, and he won't start now.)

Instead, he makes a soft, noncommittal sound, agreement or dismissal or just acknowledgment of the words spoken, who can tell at this point? He falls into Okita without a moment's hesitation, and if Okita's grip is too tight, then his might as well be steel.

If it wouldn't make things harder, he'd even refuse to let go.

But their knowledge of these things is the same. Were he to continue clinging to his master this way, Okita would have no choice but to stab him in the back, and he knows without a doubt that Okita would never kill him that way. So he forces back his reluctance, and lets Okita step back from him without complaint.

He's still, almost relaxed, even as he watches Okita's body ready itself for a killing blow. When Okita looks at him again, he smiles one last time--and though his body jerks in shock at the first penetration, he rests his hands on Okita's, lending him what additional strength he can muster.

This isn't the sort of strike swords are made for. He won't let Okita hurt himself for this, no matter how much pain he causes himself.

And it does hurt. Yasusada's been injured before, though he's never broken, like his dearest partner--but that had always been at the hands of other well-kept blades, and always in the heat of battle, with his blood boiling and adrenaline helping him fight through the pain. Now, he has nothing to distract him from the feeling of rusted metal pushing through his skin. He has no way of ignoring all the different parts of his body the sword has to force its way through, to get to his heart--and even Okita's expertise can't totally make up for such a poorly-treated weapon.

Maybe, he thinks, maybe he'll get lucky, and be allowed to return to being a spirit, like he used to be. He's never been any good at being a person anyway. He proved that much last night.

It's a small mercy, but Yasusada's body loses blood quickly, as if aware that prolonging this suffering would be an unjust punishment for the both of them. It doesn't take long for his strength to give out, and he collapses with hardly enough breath for a few final words.]

Even in death... by your side...

[If there's anything else he wishes to say after that, it's lost. Regardless of whether Okita catches his body or lets it fall, he's undeniably pale and still. Yamatonokami Yasusada is dead.]

[sanguinairy]

[At least, he thinks, Yasusada bleeds out faster than some. It's the smallest mercy - he can't offer anything else. Nothing outside of a hand on his shoulder, steadying him as he dies.

The words draw up another well of emotions, some unpleasant, all overwhelming. He tries to accept them with as much grace as he'd managed to walk out here with, knowing what was coming. After a breath, Souji mutters something quietly for Yasusada's ears alone and - for just a moment - brings their foreheads together with a gentle bump.

He'll indeed be there to catch his body, and will stay until he's forced to rejoin the group as the executions continue.]