CHAPTER FIVE ; TRIAL

[themodsgrimm]

The Story Continues... CHAPTER 5 - WEEK 523 Narrators Remain ; Wakey wakey, naughty murder children. It's a lovely Saturday, after all. Breakfast is served piping hot at its usual time and all of the evidence has been removed from the scenes of yesterday. No matter how you choose to spent your morning though, the clock will begin to chime the moment both hands reach the large, ornate twelve. Before your eyes materializes a door...but not just any door. Unlike the door leading to the festival, this door sits primly and properly right in front of the foyer. Whether you exit the castle on your own or you feel a friendly, invisible push, you begin to walk under an arc of wisterias. Behind you, the clock continues to chime with every step you take. By the time the time the clock strikes twelve, you've entered a beautiful garden. In front of you is a long table, 19 seats on each side. Around the garden are several glass cases containing evidence collected yesterday. As noon intensifies on the sun-shaped clock, you'll find Dragon at the head of the table, a glass-covered rose near her right hand. Tick tock, Narrators. You have nine hours to deliberate. Throughout today's trial, cookies and cakes will be served as your trial snacks, along with hot cocoa...served in sippycups. Welcome to your trial post! Please see here for the OOC summary of events from yesterday's investigation. In addition, please be sure to vote! Please see the voting page on how to vote, as we will have two special things to vote for. Voting will close at 9pm EST/6pm PST! If you have any questions, please ask on our Discord server or ping us on plurk. Please direct pings for the NPC to Dana (decals), 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

Comments

[holybind]

[ Zelos, shrugs ]

Well, not like we were getting anywhere.

[ He's not surprised about the votes but he's also a big bitch so. ]

Anyone who voted for me can leave their constructive criticism in my office, much obliged!

[ he means the fire dorm common room. ]

[discardia]

...

[ Sorry, Zelos, Cardia is quietly walking up to you.

And if she is not stopped, she is going to slap you. ]

[disclosures]

[Oh, Rebecca will not stop Cardia at all. He fully deserves what's coming to him.]

[holybind]

[ Ah,

this crowd sure is full of surprises tonight.

Zelos is awestruck for a moment, before a wry smile makes its way onto his features. ]

You feel any better?

[discardia]

No.

But I don't think acting like that will make you feel any better, either.

[holybind]

[ ... ]

Not a lot makes anyone feel good in this place. I acted on a hunch, and I did what I thought was right— sue me.

[discardia]

...

[ The look she gives him is both extremely weary and pained. ]

That's not why I'm angry.

[holybind]

[ There's genuine surprise in his eyes before it crumples back into something a little more neutral. His voice is quiet when he speaks. ]

That so? Then enlighten me. Why are you mad?

[discardia]

A lot of us lost someone we cared about. Any of those three, or all of those three, and we've condemned someone else who had nothing to do with their deaths.

... So please, if you can't say anything respectfully, then don't say anything at all. It...

[ Cardia's voice cracks, slightly, and she stops there. ]

[holybind]

[ His lips purse into a hard line, a moment passes before he speaks again and when he does his voice wavers just a bit. ]

For tonight? Sure. But I make no promises about next week.

[discardia]

I won't slap you next week.

[ CARDIA... ]

[holybind]

[ CARDIA!!! Again, he's taken aback. He doesn't quite frown, but he's not really smiling either? He doesn't really know how to react.]

Nah, you can feel free to do whatever you like.

[ a shrug ]

Doesn't matter anymore. If you think I deserve it, if you think it'll make you feel better? Then you should go for it.

[discardia]

The only thing that will make me feel better at this point is bringing this game to an end and making sure everyone will be able to reunite. But thank you for the offer.

[ And with a little nod, she'll turn to go. ]

[selfinserting]

[Well. Cardia has the violence covered, but. Yelled out in a ragged, broken voice—]

You asshole! This is, is this is your fault! He didn't do anything!

[holybind]

Like we were going to actually find the real killer at the rate we were going. Hey, least we only killed a hero.

[selfinserting]

[A pause, and then, with his voice growing more heated from tears that are threatening to fall:]

Shut up. Shut up, don't say only like it doesn't matter, like it's not... Like it wasn't you! This is your fault!

[holybind]

[ Something flickers in his eyes at the sight of how distraught Evan is, but it's gone as quick as it appears. He makes a point of scoffing, though it sounds a little forced. ]

When did I say it wasn't my fault? Sure, I'll admit it! I made some bad guesses and condemned an innocent man. You're only worked up because he was someone you cared about.

[ a shrug ]

Which is fine, we can't get upset over every single person we send to the chopping block. But someone was going to die tonight, and it probably wasn't going to be anyone with blood on their hands.

[selfinserting]

So, what, that makes it fine, right? Is that what you think? I - hope you're happy, I hope you're satisfied that you wasted the time we could have spent finding who actually did this!

[He rubs a hand over his eyes, quickly and without comment, before he moves on.]

Maybe we couldn't have, but we'll never know now, and that's your fault!

[holybind]

Blame me all you want, but in the end people didn't vote for him because I held a gun to their heads. They thought everything I said was viable— never said I had any proof, but they believed it because they wanted to.

[ He meets Evan's gaze head-on as he speaks. ]

But if you're so mad? Feel free to kill me next week, or whenever the time comes. Like I keep saying, none of it matters to me at this point.

[selfinserting]

[A beat, and then, as chilled as he can make it:]

Yeah, well, I'm glad you have the luxury of not caring, but not all of us jump to getting someone killed the second we don't agree with what they've done. Maybe you should think about that next time.

[And then he turns to leave.]

[concasse]

... Zelos.

[His voice isn't really chiding, just.

Give the kid a break.]

[holybind]

Tch..

[ He'll relent for now. ]