CHAPTER SEVEN ; TRIAL

[themodsgrimm]

The Story Continues... CHAPTER 7 - WEEK 711 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. The garden is strangely silent and there are no snacks today...it seems as though you'll be left to your own devices. 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 or sooner if the game ICly elects so. 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

[toughchoices]

It never felt like the right time.

[Especially not after the memory she'd witnessed earlier that week.]

I shouldn't have. From the sound of things - he didn't hold up his end of our deal.

[resumed]

[Fair.]

...when we spoke, he didn't seem to have any kind of useful information. So no. I don't think he did either.

[toughchoices]

...

I'm sorry, Nico. I took a gamble and hurt you in the process, and I shouldn't have done that.

[resumed]

[...he shrugs a little.]

...didn't you trust me? [It's a small voice, uncertain and wary. He doesn't want to think that he did something to make her change her mind, but he would rather know if that's true.]

[toughchoices]

I did, and I still do.

{She says that firmly.]

...but... I was selfish, too. I wanted to protect you - and if it went wrong, I didn't want to see you subjected to an execution because of something I asked you to do.

[resumed]

[He shakes his head.]

It would have been better than staying here without you.

[toughchoices]

I would have come back.

[probably]

That was always the plan. ...I didn't mean to leave you for long - just long enough to do what I could to help from the other side.

[resumed]

[He doesn't seem like he's sure he wants to believe her immediately.]

You didn't know if you would come back though, Reyna. We never knew what the Other Side would be like even with the letters from the dead.

[toughchoices]

[She knows that - and that's why she would rather face it herself than risk seeing Nico facing it.

...perhaps wisely, she doesn't say that.]

I know. And I should have told you, I just... [...well.] I didn't want to make you worry.

But going to the Other Side without a word about it - that was worse. I know that now.

[resumed]

A little late for that. [He's not happy!! But...he can't be too terribly mad.]

...I didn't want to experience that ever again. And I didn't know what to do after you left, so...when I was chosen by the Crafters I didn't hesitate.

[toughchoices]

I know. I'm sorry.

[Big sisters can make mistakes too, Nico. :c]

...and... I sort of figured that out. As soon as I saw the stitching. [she has matching stitches on her back, after all. Or - had, while she was alive.] ...for what it's worth, I am glad they didn't catch you. But I'm sorry you had to face that without me. ...I wanted to be there for you.

[resumed]

...the stitching was an objective. The rest was just a loss of control. [He doesn't elaborate, but he shrugs a little.] I sort of hoped that they would, but it would have upset Kyouka.

I almost changed my mind when I saw you on Wednesday.

[toughchoices]

[He doesn't really need to elaborate, honestly. She knows.]

I'm glad you and Kyouka were able to stick together this long.

[...]

...but you were a Blotter, weren't you? You would have... gotten in some kind of trouble, if you hadn't carried it out.

[resumed]

She needed me. [It's why he stayed alive so long, really.] But I was...and I would have, but. [Some things were more important at the time. He doesn't finish that thought.]

...if we do whatever the Crafters need, you guys get to come back. Right?

[toughchoices]

That's what we've been told.

[at this point - there's no point in going against what the Crafters need. one way or another, this is going to end.]

...the Other Side has crumbled away, anyway. Either we come back now or we don't come back at all.

[resumed]

Then we're going to do whatever it takes to end this. Working on a time limit as usual. But nothing we can't handle.