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

[axilium]

[i sure hope someone has been picking up the keys they're getting from these]

I mean... yes and no?

[vigilantics]

[ ........... SURE. I FORGOT ABOUT KEYS. ]

Holy crap give me a second.

[ she has to. sit down. ]

[psychedelica]

-- Wait. Move your butt.

[ he just saw something silvery glinting in the grass but now steph is sitting on it... ]

[axilium]

[he lets out a low whistle.]

How forward of you!

[vigilantics]

[ she doesn't have anything to throw at belph, but if she did, he would be getting hit in the head right now. he can probably see this in her eyes.

but she scoots. ]

[psychedelica]

Shut up. Why are your minds always in the gutter?

[ his two lewd friends... in any case, Hikage squats down and picks up the silver key out of the grass. ]

This must be it. It looks like the one you picked up before.

[ doesn't it BELPH doesn't it TOTALLY MATCH THAT KEY YOU PICKED UP BEFORE ]

[axilium]

You make it easy.

[Y-YES...]

Yeah. Looks like we're one step closer to potential doom!

[vigilantics]

Think happy thoughts.

[ she holds her arms out. help her up. ]

Let's keep going.

[psychedelica]

[ he just grunts in annoyance at Belph. Which is a state of being, really. Hikage pulls Steph back up to her feet, although his brow is wrinkled in concern. ]

We can rest more if you need it. Don't overdo it.

[ but if they are ready to go... there's a trail of footprints leading out from the grassy patch! Straight into a rock face. Or, rather... a small opening in the rock face that they can probably fit through on their hands and knees. ]

[axilium]

[...]

Steph, I don't think you're going to like this.

[vigilantics]

What?

[ and then she just. sees it. ]

You have got to be kidding me.

[psychedelica]

[ would you believe me if i wrote that without considering how hard it would be for steph ]

... You haven't got a choice.

[ so kind... but no, he goes in first, although he also seems a little annoyed about it?! it's pretty much pitch black in the cave, but there's a warm red glow up ahead. ]

[axilium]

[no]

I'll be kind and let you go before me so that you don't just lag behind.

[go ahead, steph...]

[vigilantics]

[ ..... this is so bad.

but she will... go down and start crawling after hikage....

i'm sorry she's going to be slow. ]

[psychedelica]

[ steph is doing her best and that's what matters

especially when the tunnel leads them out over... a narrow bridge over a stream. Of lava. They didn't say the shallow stream had to be water.

There's still no room to stand up, so the shimmying will continue. But also, it's very hot now. ]

What the hell...

[axilium]

[FREEDOM

except it's freedom to lava.]

Uh...

[vigilantics]

[ hm. problematic. ]

I'm guessing neither of you are fireproof?

[psychedelica]

... There's a bridge. We just have to keep going.

[ a beat. ]

Don't fall in.

[ thanks hikage ]

[axilium]

Wow, thanks for that stellar advice, Hikage...

[but okay, carefully proceeding...]

[vigilantics]

[ hopefully they will. reach the end of this soon because like... let me tell you

she is seriously struggling with this. she genuinely looks tired. ]

[psychedelica]

[ poor steph......

provided nobody falls into lava, it is just as simple as crossing over the bridge. they pop out onto the other side into what looks like a forest - AKA standing room! Instead of trees, there are gigantic mushrooms of every size and color growing around them.

Hikage stops and stares for a few seconds... but he does look back at Steph soon. Despite how he acts, he's worried. ]

... Come here. I'll carry you on my back.

[axilium]

[belph smirks a tad at them for just a split-second before returning his focus to the field.]

Hope these aren't hallucinogenic, or whatever.

[vigilantics]

[ belph, you of all people need to stop smirking at this. ]

No, it's okay-- I'm fine.

[ she is.... the wheezy yeet. ]

Let's just get through here.

[psychedelica]

Stop being stubborn...

[ he didn't come this far to fail, dammit!! for the moment, he lets her go, but he does give her a sharp glare that says he's going to hoist her up the moment she starts looking extra wheezy or yeety.

The footsteps continue through the mushroom forest! There doesn't seem to be anything particularly dangerous here, at least. Where do they go... ]

[axilium]

[they keep going until steph collapses.

or until they find the key. whichever comes first, ig.]