notagain | WEEK FOUR: EXECUTION

EXECUTION

▽ FULL NAVIGATION
▽ LOCATIONS
▽ STATUSES
▽ IC PROFILES
▽ IC RULEBOOK
▽ MURDER PROPOSALS
▽ PCS
▽ CURFEW
▽ AUDIENCES
▽ CAMP STORE
▽ REPORTING

POPULATION: 25

Good morning, Camp Gatonina.

The weather is, uh, out to fucking murder you. Hail falls from the sky, pelting down on anyone who dares be outside. Seems like it's a good idea to find something to shield yourself with sooner, rather than later.

At 9AM, two hours after the bugle call for breakfast, you will be drawn to the bonfire. Your body will move of its own volition, giving you little to no time to pick up any sort of protection. As you approach the bonfire, you will find that you are not the only one. The Camp Directors and Yasusada seem to be marching to the same rhythm as the rest of you, their movements stiff as they approach from the direction of the Isolation Cabin. In light of the weather, it looks like the directors have acquired... ice umbrellas? Yes, ice umbrellas to shield themselves with.

Once everyone has gathered in the same location, you will hear a voice that is recognized by none.

"Two in a row? Meh. It's nothing to write home about. Zeeeeeero points for effort this time. Yamatonokami Yasusada, get over here."

Yasusada will be forced to approach the fire, as everyone else takes several steps back to form something of an impromptu fighting ring around the bonfire.

"As for your opponent... Oh, right. A certain someone forgot how to fucking pace themselves, didn't they? Losing limbs is sooooo cliche, but here's a fun and sexy idea. Flayn, why don't you join your new best friend? Loose lips sink ships!"

Similarly to Yasusada, Flayn will be forced to approach the fire. Those in the audience will find themselves rooted to the spot, and the participants of the execution will hit an invisible barrier three feet away from the rest of the group if they try to escape. In her dominant hand, Flayn will find a 20-sided dice... though three of the sides are now blank.

But that's not all.

All numbers above 9 glow pink. For whatever reason, there is something about the sight that will fill all those who lay their eyes upon it with a deep sense of dread.

You're all old pros at this. It goes without saying that it's time for the execution to begin.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Yasusada isn't a large man--but Flayn is quite a bit smaller than he is. She's right to think that in terms of strength and stamina, he could beat her. It's why he'd made his offer at the beginning--even with his handicaps, he's always had a decent chance of defeating her.

It doesn't matter that only a handful of people wish for him to leave this place. Any support at all is more kindness than he'd expected to be shown. But he'd promised, and over the sound of hail, the blur of voices from outside this ring, he hears--

Fight honorably tomorrow.

I love Souji. I'm going to help him.

If you win, I've got your back.

It's my honor to say that I was able to keep such a wonderful sword by my side.

She goes for his broken arm--a strike at his weak point. It's a commendable move; even as he cries out at the pain of it, he can appreciate her skill. Maybe in another life, he would praise her for it.

But in this one--in this one, he can do nothing but go with the momentum, trying to lessen the inevitable pain of impact. Nothing except lash out with his mallet one more time, trying to yank her feet out from under her as well.

She can take him down, and he will take her with him.]

[She's supposed to drop him, and then she's supposed to act. She's still got her mallet in hand. He's right there, and she doesn't want to do it, but—]

Ahhh—?!

[He's so fast.

Yasusada lashes out with his mallet and the force of the blow sends her off her feet. She hits the ground hard, her grip loosening on her mallet - it clatters a small distance away. Within arm's reach, if she stretches, but -

She wasn't expecting the impact, wasn't braced for it, and it's left her dazed.]

[Landing hurts--hurts a lot, actually. But he manages, through some miracle, not to hit his head, and the adrenaline of a proper fight is enough to warm him, to help him.

He did what he had to, so he flings the mallet away as he gets to his knees. He won't use their ridiculous tools more than he has to. Instead, he draws what strength he has left, and lunges at her with his arms outstretched.

If you're looking for an easier death just let him snap your neck, wasn't it?

Good thing the Shinsengumi were a well-rounded bunch.]

[It's a simple matter for him to get his hands around her neck. She's winded, and he's determined to do exactly what he needs to do to survive.

She is no less determined, but she is less skilled.

Flayn makes a strangled noise as he gets hold of her, and she struggles, but isn't able to break his hold. If she can just— just last a little longer, then maybe she can regain some ground here, but—

It doesn't feel like she can. It feels like she's running out of time.

She can't really see anyone from this vantage point, not even if she tilts her head back. But she chokes out--]

I chose to fight. Do not blame him—

[It's far more kindness than he deserves, her words. She asked for a fair fight, and he gave it to her, but that doesn't mean he isn't fully aware she's expected to win, here.

But he's come this far. He can't let any of them down now. If he can just make it clean and quick--]

[Except it sure is hailing out here, isn't it?]

[It's luck. Luck, not skill. If that piece of hail hadn't hit him on the head when it had, Flayn would have been dead in the blink of an eye. But she can't waste the chance this has given her, so when his hands loosen around her neck, she surges forward, up, slamming her hands into his chest to knock him over onto the ground.

Then their positions are reversed. She's lunging forward, and her hands are around his neck, and they're shaking.]

I am sorry. I am so sorry—

[But she has to live. She can't hesitate.

Taking a breath, she grips and twists in an attempt to snap his neck.]

[It's not enough to kill him--but it's large enough to hurt, and the shock of impact alone would've been enough to make him hesitate. She reverses their positions, and... it's like someone said. Fair's fair, isn't it?

He probably has a little more strength to keep fighting. But anything he could do to break from her hold would cause her more pain than he'd like. She deserved the chance to end his life herself, and she's done so admirably. It's more than he would have expected from certain others, standing outside this ring.

And in truth--

--he's tired.

One of them has to be left behind. Privately, selfishly, quietly, he's glad it wasn't him.

She gets her hands on him, and he smiles at her, just a little. He closes his eyes.

It would be cruel, to make her do it for him.]

[That smile hurts.

It isn't fair. She's about to end his life, so how can he smile? He has so much to live for, he has a person he wants to protect. Someone sleeping, outside of this game, who is depending on him and everyone else to bring him home.

...but she has people to protect, too.

Flayn's eyes fill with tears.]

I am so sorry.

[She repeats the words in a whisper, and then twists again. Quickly, and as firmly as she can. She feels his bones snap with a sickening crunch. It's a sound she won't be able to put out of her mind for a long, long time.

When he's still, she slumps over, her body wracking with sobs. She doesn't seem at all inclined to move away from his corpse.

Yamatonokami Yasusada is dead, and Flayn feels so intensely guilty over it that she kind of wishes she was, too.]

[After Yasusada has breathed his last... the barrier falls, and only the Directors find themselves able to move. Black Shadows, as always, moves to Yasusada's fallen body, and they gently take Flayn's arm to help her up, murmuring something to her quietly. They can't stay with her, though; after that, they carefully scoop up Yasusada's corpse.

All of the directors turn toward the gray cabin and start to walk that way, but... maybe everything's not finished just yet.]

WEEK FOUR: EXECUTION

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

1/2

2/2

no subject

back to your regularly scheduled feelings

no subject

no subject