FIRST EXECUTION

[faentasy]

Execution

Regardless of how you spent the day after trial, time ticks forward. Zola’s fate has been sealed, and all that awaits is the execution of her sentence. Come Sunday morning, the familiar sound of a flute reaches your ears, though this time you're not inclined to obey (although those who resist will have a feeling of dread they just can't shake until the end of the day), unless you're one particular blonde. Today the notes of music bring you inside the palace and into the stairwell leading to the upper floors, bars completely gone as if they were never there to begin with. What awaits at the end of the ascent is a white, completely featureless corridor with a single, plain black door at the end. As soon as it's opened, you find yourself in a completely different space.

All you can see around you is yourself and those came to bear witness you, reflections flooding your peripheral vision. This entire space is one giant mirror, from the floors, to the walls, to the ceilings. In the middle of the room stand Zola, no longer confined with vines or any restraints, and Junko with Hamelin directly in between them.

"Welcome, welcome! Now that our audience is here, let's get started shall we? Today's performance has Junko starring as the heroine and Zola as the villain! Put on a proper show for us, will you ladies?"

With a theatrical bow, Hamelin steps out from between them, a shimmer visible as he does, a large magic barrier shining into place. The stage has been set, and now all that remains is to enjoy the play.

Comments

[purefuries]

[ Huh. Yeah, she does need to take care of that quickly, doesn't she? She raises her arm to see what range of motion she has and--ow. Okay. Yup. The adrenaline is fading. This is starting to hurt quite a bit. Time to accept some help. ]

If you don't mind, I would be grateful for your assistance. I don't believe the wound on my arm is terribly deep, but alas, I would have difficulties binding it on my own.

[ given....the hand shredded from grabbing a blade aimed at her ]

[incompletely]

Yeah, I think so too. I don't really have anything that might help otherwise, though. Sorry.

[ He nods and gestures at her to follow him to the boutique. ]

Can you place anything over your arm until we get there? Or is your hand too cut up, too?

[purefuries]

[ She shows him her hand, if he wants to see the damage, now. It's...bad, yup. About what you would expect from having to grab onto a sharp object someone is trying to kill you with. ]

I have nothing to hold, but my hand is not completely enfeebled as of yet.

[incompletely]

[ j e s u s. He takes one glance at it and looks away immediately. ]

...On second thought, the lodgings area is way closer. I have clothes in there we can use for this.

[ He starts walking faster, though he'll make sure she can keep up given her current state. ]

Where did you learn to fight like that?

[purefuries]

[ A faint nod, and she patters along with him. His clothes...? That's a shame, but if he's willing, she won't say no. ]

Where did I...? [ ... ] An excellent question, but one I cannot fully answer.

[incompletely]

[ If only the apothecary opened up earlier!! Then he wouldn't have to use some of his clothes... ]

Are you bound to secrecy, or something like that?

[purefuries]

No, no, nothing so fanciful.

[ she hums in thought ]

I would imagine it involved, perhaps, observing others with a similar style of combat and sparring with them or against them, but I cannot say with confidence.

I've no longer any need to recall such details at my age. The cracks in my memories do tend to widen as the years pass.

[incompletely]

...

That's why you're not reacting much right now, is it. You've probably sustained injuries like this tons of times.

[ He could be very wrong here but!! He's guessing that she's a lot older than she looks. He can't remember what was on her profile. ]

[purefuries]

Oh, most certainly. I'm quite used to combat, in any case.

[ things she isn't used to: being depowered and having her divine spirit toughness turned off and feeling all the very human pain of being repeatedly stabbed and losing blood

It's going to hit her like a ton of bricks, later. ]

[incompletely]

Then I'm trusting you not to pass out on me. We're almost there.

[ Entering the lodging area as they speak...! He starts reaching for the key in his pocket. ]

I'm glad you made it out of there alive, Junko-san. I wasn't sure how that was going to turn out.

[purefuries]

Worry not.

[ She'll be good for right now but she might have to like, bite down on a leather belt or some shit when she changes her bandages in the coming days. ]

Ah, did I give you cause for concern? My apologies. I was truly unaware of her fighting capabilities.