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

[okitactless]

[I can't believe y'all continue to try and corrupt the poor sword child

but because Yasusada is useless and 1. doesn't remember his own power and 2. never told anybody what it was, he has no complaints about clambering onto Jae-ha's back. At least he knows how piggyback rides work--although he's never flown before?? So this will be fun.]

[alttitude]

[aki wanted souji and jae-ha to be together for an adventure and they're flirting and now we ALL suffer

but regardless jae-ha holds onto yams carefully and hums easily - ]

Just don't pull my hair without warning me, alright?

[but then he'll crouch before pushing off against the ground, sending them rIGHT UP INTO THE SKY in the direction of the river. TIME TO FIGHT A FOX I GUESS]

[sanguinairy]

[Y'ALL CAN SKIP ME FOR NOW ALL SOUJI'S DOING IS POURING HANDFULS OF WATER INTO A TROUGH exciting]

[okitactless]

[Let's hope they don't come back to find Okita's magical healing has worn off and he's collapsed and drowned in the trough

But he's a good pompom and holds onto Jae-ha's shoulders instead of trying to grab his hair! In fairness, even if he's not used to flying, he does time travel on a regular basis... it's a little less jarring than teleportation, even if he does have to close his eyes for a little bit. He doesn't scream or fall off, though!]

[alttitude]

It's beautiful, isn't it?

[HE CAN'T SEE THAT YAMS CLOSED HIS EYES SO.

It's fine - they're just jumping around and then landing by the body of water. Jae-ha looks out for the duckling and crouches back down to let Yams down.]

How big do you think the fox is?

[it should be unnaturally large]

[okitactless]

[To be fair, Jae-ha calls pretty much everything beautiful, so Yasusada just makes a noncommittal noise and figures that's enough...

He doesn't waste time climbing down, but he also doesn't wobble or look nauseated, thankfully. He shakes his head a little bit, both to clear it and to get his hair out of his face, then surveys the area.]

Well, foxes aren't normally very big, are they? So in a place like this, it's probably huge.

[alttitude]

[the world is bEAUTIFUL YAMS, JUST ACCEPT IT]

The most difficult option then.

[but it's time to follow the sound of

probably soft distressed quacks]

[okitactless]

[HE NEVER SAID HE DIDN'T ACCEPT IT

And he's not going to say it now, either, because he's busy drawing his sword, demeanor shifting as it always does when he's preparing for a fight.]

Do you think there will be more than one?

[More than one fox, more than one duckling, either or]

[alttitude]

... probably just one.

[HE READ HIS OWN STORY.... he knows how lonely this duckling is supposed to be.

But we can be assholes and say multiple foxes. The quacking seems to be getting closer at the very least and Jae-ha will pick up the pace - especially as the sound of growling also chimes in.]

[okitactless]

[Yasusada still doesn't have his cheating sword stats back, but that doesn't make him any less of a sword--he hears those growls just as Jae-ha does, and though he matches Jae-ha's pace, he also takes care to make his footsteps as quiet as he can.]

Can you scout ahead? See if you can get the duckling, then I can draw the fox's attention until you get it somewhere safe? I don't want to charge in and scare the bird too.

[alttitude]

I don't see why not. Get yourself to a clear spot away from the fox itself and I can grab you to head back to Souji.

[this is such a simple rescue mission and he's just. going to be as chill about it as ever???]

Best be careful.

[but he'll manage another jump to bring him closer to that quack quack noise!! ganba yams. stop that fox from swiping]

[okitactless]

You too.

[It sounds like it'll be simple, but even though Yasusada didn't get a chance to go on any of those other mysterious adventures, he's suspicious enough about all of this that he isn't going to get cocky. He's nowhere near as discreet as a tantou or a wakizashi, but he moves as quietly as he can anyway, edging forward until he can catch sight of bright orange fur.

That. Sure is a couple of huge foxes cornering a single, small duckling. BAD. But Yasusada doesn't let himself get distracted thinking about it--he gets into the best position he can find, off to the foxes' side, before looking to Jae-ha for his cue.]

[alttitude]

[THAT IS BAD.

Which is probably why Jae-ha moved to plant himself in the branches of some tree by where the duckling and foxes are. He settles himself in the branches before going to make eye contact with Yams and giving a simple thumbs up.

READY FOR YOUR DISTRACTING, SWORD-KUN]

[okitactless]

[HERE GOES NOTHING

The tricky part, of course, is not startling the poor bird into a frenzy--but luckily, a distraction in the form of a new predator is enough to get the attention of the creatures as soon as he moves. Using all of his speed, Yasusada darts forward to slam the hilt of his sword against one of the foxes, darting back behind it to draw their attention his way. He won't hesitate to cut them down if he has to, but an attack is not the point of this mission.

...of course, the foxes are much bigger than they should be, so he kind of has his hands full dodging them after that, BUT IT'S FINE.]

[alttitude]

[That's super fine.

Especially since Jae-ha is going to neatly jump down to grab the duckling in one arm, cradling it carefully. It squawks in his hold, but you know we just. Gotta deal with some things in life. He moves to jump quickly, keeping an eye on Yasusada as he goes.

He'll swoop down to grab him also in. A second?]

[okitactless]

[A second, or two seconds, or five seconds, because Yasusada has a knack for getting himself into battles he can just barely handle, and taking far too long to get out of them. It's not like he hasn't fought larger enemies, larger monsters before, but normally they'd been swords like himself, which made things a little bit easier to handle.

In the end, he does end up having to slash at one of them--he aims for its back leg, and takes advantage of the minute distraction to kick the other as far away from him as he could manage. Using that as leverage, he takes off running, not bothering to look for Jae-ha and instead focusing on putting distance between himself and the foxes, to give him an opening.]

[alttitude]

[The opening works - Jae-ha keeps up easily enough even though he sincerely wishes that he'd brought something along to maybe throw at the foxes, but hindsight sure is 20/20. Instead he just tries to jump in before Yams himself gets terribly wounded.

Which means that the second that Yams manages to put a few feet between him and the foxes, Jae-ha's going to dart from the side to pick up Yamato with arm and just.

Keep nyooming, up until he can get another foot on the ground and send them soaring up into the air.]

[okitactless]

[Hopefully the key is with the duckling or something because Yasu sure isn't stopping to go back and look for it]

Ack--

[THIS IS NOT THE WAY HE WANTED TO FLY OUT OF HERE but it's better than getting torn to pieces by giant wolves, so away they go... he can't clean off his blade in the air like this, so he just makes sure to hold it tightly as they head back towards Okita.]

[alttitude]

[now there's a tiny little key tied onto the duckling's neck. nice.

BUT WE'RE MAKING IT WORK -

and this is how jae-ha lands back by souji and his 1/5th full trough, carefully cradling a duckling in one arm but with yams tucked under his arm like a pompom football]

We're back.

[sanguinairy]

[WELCOME BACK NERDS!! Souji is doing his best out here.]

Welcome back! Ah, what a cute little one...

[THE DUCKLING!! He loves it immediately and wipes his hands off on his yukata so he can reach out to hold its tiny little fuzzy adorable self.]

You're both alright?

[okitactless]

[Assuming Jae-ha puts him down on his feet instead of dropping him unceremoniously on the ground, Yasusada takes a second to catch his breath, cleaning the blood off of his sword and sheathing it before he smiles at Okita.]

Yes, thankfully. How about you?

[sanguinairy]

[HOPEFULLY HE DOES Jae-ha is here in spirit but dana is dying and so we must continue--]

My task is quite easy.

[Now that he's... healthy... again... Hm. The Retrograding Army is coming for him.]

I've already got this halfway full, actually.

[okitactless]

[The Break Okita Squad is getting ready as they speak]

Ah! As expected of Okita-kun! [AS IF OKITA'S BEEN DOING SOMETHING INCREDIBLE... but listen, if it were him and Kashuu, they probably would've somehow ended up breaking the stupid thing. They are dumb and he knows this.] If you'd like to rest a little, I can take over from here? We should make sure the duckling is alright and all...

[Listen, he's not going to complain about Okita's magical lungs, but he also isn't going to trust this place either.]

[sanguinairy]

[Bless Yasusada... But as to be expected, Souji just laughs gently and shakes his head.]

I've spent more than enough time resting. I can finish up over here if you'll take the rafters with Jae-ha, though? I'll join you once I'm done.

[okitactless]

Well... I...

[Yasusada looks back and forth between Okita and the barn, looking very openly torn. As always, he wants to obey Okita's orders, even if it's for something small like this. But on the other hand, he doesn't want to leave Okita's side, not after they've finally been reunited again. A DILEMMA.]

...how about we work together to finish this quickly, and we can both go help him? [He offers at last, almost hesitant--he doesn't usually try to compromise, but he's. Trying.]