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

DECISION ;

[themodsgrimm]

[ The final petal of the rose in the glass case falls. Those who have not yet returned from their adventures through the doors will feel the setting stutter around them – and a door suddenly appear in front of them. Immediately, they will know that they should go through it in order to return to everyone else.

As they return, they hear the familiar chime of the bell from the garden. It rings and rings and rings, echoing through the space between the living realm and the Other Side. Depictions of their adventures flash through the stained glass for all of them to see, and the space around them begins to shift.

In what had previously been a dark void that held no shape or color – they’ll briefly see other people adrift in darkness. They’re not the Narrators you know from this round… but that doesn’t mean you might not see a familiar face among them, though they might be a friend from home. The image is gone as quickly as it came.

The chests brought back from the adventures line the table in front of the thrones. The keys are neatly slotted in each of them, though none have been opened yet. One by one, with each chime of the clock, the chests disappear.

Dragon watches it all with mild surprise – then a look of understanding.

Finally, the Dragon uncovers the rose and picks up the petals in her hands. With a gentle blow of wind, she scatters them onto the ink table where they turn into ink splatters and a message:]



[She speaks:]

Narrators, you have voted in the majority for Souji Okita and decreed his fate Happily Ever After. As I'm sure you all know, he was Innocent of any crime committed this week.

With this… the factions will be balanced. We are nearly at the end.

[sanguinairy]

[He looks a little surprised by the results here considering he'd voted TBC for himself... Good work, Souji. That said, he's entirely serene about it all, feeling more hopeful now that they're close to the end.

ANYWAY:]

--I have the ink from Akechi and myself, here. A token as well, if it's needed - and this. [The vial, that is. He'll just start pulling items from his clothing. APPARENTLY HE BROUGHT A LOT TO TRIAL... Someone please take them before he mcdies.]

I'd also like to make a request, if possible... [This to Dragon.] If this is the ending, may I at least ask that Kyouka not be selected to play executioner?

[axilium]

[souji...

anyway, belph will take the ink from him, since he already has one pot, so might as well collect 'em all??]

[sanguinairy]

[Belph just gets a smile as he hands the ink over.]

Thank you.

[axilium]

... We should be the one thanking you.

[sanguinairy]

I'm only doing what I can.

[He wishes he could have done more, honestly, but. This is what he's got.]

[nivation]

[ Once people take most of his valuables, have one last hug for the road.

She has a lot of words to say, but in the end, she settles on: ]

Come back soon.

[sanguinairy]

[Kyouka will get a big ol' fierce hug in return, now that being Sick can't hold him back.]

I'll come back as quickly as I can, alright?

[nivation]

[ Nothing can hold Souji back now!! Not even death, if they didn't fuck this up. ]

If you don't, I'll burn the castle down.

[ She says this pretty calmly. Kind of petulantly. ]

[okitactless]

[this is why kyouka is the best]

[sanguinairy]

[yams is right honestly

Also Souji shouldn't be so endeared by this but he IS and he laughs and ruffles Kyouka's hair once more.]

Well, if we've done things as we think we have, that won't be an issue.

[okitactless]

Okita-kun...

[He'd known, he'd known the moment the pieces fell into place, but that doesn't mean he has to like it. He's very obviously trying to keep the sadness off of his face, but he at least wants to stay as close to Okita as possible, for as long as he can. Supposedly, this will end it all, but... still.

Just in case.]

[sanguinairy]

[Just in case!!

Souji is content to stay near Yasusada until it's his time to go, in any case. He'd reach for his hand if he could - but he'll just settle for proximity.]

...This will be finished soon.

[okitactless]

I know. And I knew it would be this way, but I still...

[This is the sort of death that Okita deserves. His own choice, in order to protect people, an honorable sacrifice that could very well save them all. But the thought of losing Okita again, even for just a minute, when they can't even touch in case something goes wrong...

He takes a deep, shuddering breath, lowering his head.]

...I'm sorry. [He shouldn't be making this harder than it has to be. He smiles a little, though it's humorless.] Ah... this isn't what I told Hiro-kun I would say to you...

[asswipe]

[... GOD. Now the sads are hitting her at full force, what the fuck. She'll take what Belph didn't nab, but— well. It looks like she's tearing up.]

Thank you, Souji.

[sanguinairy]

[Take all the rest please and thanks Veronica. Also, as payback for yesterday, he's definitely leaning forward to give her a hug before she can take his stuff and leave to go be emotional elsewhere.]

Take care, Veronica. ...Thank you, too.

[asswipe]

[Oh, what the fuck. Now she's definitely going to cry, even if she tries to give him a smile.]

I— [...] We'll see you soon. That's a promise.

[vigilantics]

[ ...

she just looks at him sadly, but she manages to smile, since it's souji and he deserves a smile. ]

[sanguinairy]

[y'all are too good for him honestly. She'll get a smile right back! One that's warm and hopeful.]

I'll see you soon.

[vigilantics]

[ okay, that makes her smile more widely. ]

I know! Don't take too long.

[concasse]

[Y'all thought I was kidding, Sanji went to take a fuckin nap uh hm anyway.

He'd give Souji a pat on the back if he could but instead he'll just smile]

See you over on this side in a sec.

[sanguinairy]

[SANJI... HE DESERVES IT THOUGH HONESTLY.

Souji will just smile right back, amused despite the circumstances. He's too tired to be anything but relieved that this is almost over, honestly.]

Just a bit more.

[discardia]

...

[ Well, she thought she'd be done crying by now, but no, she's just going to press one gloved hand over her mouth and silently shake her head.

He didn't deserve this. ]

[sanguinairy]

[Yeah here's his other regret. DAMMIT. Life would have been easier if he could have just tucked away the knowledge that Cardia was able to see him, but he can't do that when she's right here...]

...I won't be gone long.

[discardia]

... I know.

[ But it's still not something she wanted him to go through.

Still... this was his choice, so... ]

I'll be waiting.