EXECUTION II

[faentasy]

Execution

Even with a day of rest, the events of this Friday won't soon be forgotten. The dawn of Sunday might come with an a sense of dread or finality, but time ever moves forward despite what anyone wants.

The notes on the flute that summon you are different this time, a cheerier melody than last. It's likely a slap in the face all things considered, but the call can be ignored, though if you do choose to follow it you'll feel a sense of relief and easing of tension despite your feelings on the manner of executed. A small gift perhaps, for the upcoming proceedings.

C-ta and SQ are already in their own respective bubbles, with Hamelin's handpicked executioners: Rika with C-ta, and Professor Pericles with SQ. The rest of the mirror room remains unchanged when you arrive, though all the shattered mirrors have been repaired.

The price of a wish demands a sacrifice, however unfair it may be.

Comments

EXECUTION: C-ta & Rika

[faentasy]

[eternaljune]

[Rika doesn’t care to find herself in the role of an executioner. Seeing the way Zola had turned it into a brawl, Rika figured she’d just end up getting more hurt than whoever she was supposed to kill. Hopefully SQ made this easier—

But it’s not SQ they’re having her kill, is it? Fate’s dice keeps rolling ones for her.]

...

[Because despite it all, or maybe because of it all…Rika Furude doesn’t want to kill C-ta.]

Why...why do I have to be the one to do this…?

[mearry]

[ unlike the disaster that was c-ta's meltdown on friday, today he looks... calm. it's an act, of course, and his heart is beating painfully in his chest with the looming anxiety over his approaching death, but he won't give anyone the pleasure (or horror) of watching him despair again.

that is, until he spots rika as his executioner. ]

Rika...

[ this is cruel. too cruel. he hates this so much, he'd like to break every mirror in this godforsaken place.

instead. he stands still. ]

It's okay. Come closer.

[ be the senpai she wanted, he tells himself. ]

[eternaljune]

...

[Rika gulps down the lump in her throat, her hand shaking as she looks at the small knife in her hand.]

I don’t think they’re going to let me get out of it. Who knows what they’d do if I tried to refuse…?

[She takes a few shaky steps towards him.]

Fate must hate us, huh C-ta? How do we keep getting caught in these twisted games? They keep making us dance for their sick entertainment…

EXECUTION: SQ & Professor Pericles, CW; suicide for the entire thread

[faentasy]

[5_1_1]

[ SQ is here as much as anyone can be "here" after everything that's happened. She's pressed up against one of the sides of the magic barrier, as far away as possible as she can be from the other presence in the bubble. She doesn't talk and she doesn't try to get away, she's just staring off to the side as if she can just avoid all of this if she really, really tries hard enough.

She's never wanted to be invisible until now. ]

...

[hellochildren]

[The parrot sits on the ground, his face a mask. Perhaps he's still upset about the failure of the trial. Perhaps he's unbothered, just wanting to get this task over and done with as soon as possible. Perhaps there's a reason he was the one in here, rather than most of the others.

Whatever the truth was, it wouldn't be revealed, so long as that poker face of his stayed up.

A glass with what appears to be water sits next to him. He makes no effort to drink from it.]

Frau SQ...may we chat? Before sings become more grim?

also prolly gnosia spoilers for this thread too

[5_1_1]

Y-you want to talk....? I guess, yeah, I guess.

[ She's still not looking at him or in that general vicinity but she isn't ignoring him. SQ really couldn't ignore anyone to be honest, it's just not who she is. It's not in her, to be that way even if it should have been.

That's a funny echo that's been following her the entire week. She shouldn't be here, she shouldn't have gotten voted for. Should, should, should. ]

SPECTATING

[faentasy]

[crimson_flamel]

[Edelgard shows up, sitting down and watching blankly. It's a matter of pride and principle that she's here to watch those that they've condemned to die. But now, she knows one of them is innocent, so that makes it a bit worse.

She is offering other people tea, though.]

[incompletely]

[ Tenn is, surprisingly, here. Though he'll only stick around for c-ta's execution; SQ's is too much for him to bear. He will gladly take her up on that offer for tea, though, and he takes a cup from her, holding it between his hands. ]

Thank you.

[ ... ] Rika shouldn't have been chosen for this.

[heroicact]

[He does drift over for a cup, at the very beginning, though it might end up going cold as things go on. It's the principle of the matter.]

I do not know if it is better that we are here, or not. Truthfully.

[biqe]

[ Phil was more hesitant about showing up this week. He does still think he should probably make a rule of attending all of these just to ensure that he doesn't miss some important detail, but... watching an innocent person's unnecessary death like this — one that he'd played a part in along with everyone else — is more than he thinks he might be able to handle.

...But he also doesn't want SQ to have to potentially look out at an empty room and think that no one cared enough to come and bear that guilt, so... he's there again, but looking much less detached than last week now that he's not distracting himself with questions about the mirrors around them. ]

[mirrite]

[Likewise, Marcus isn't here because he wants to watch. He absolutely doesn't want to see an innocent person dying for something he perceives to be his fault, yet at the same time that's exactly why he feels a certain responsibility to be here. The very least he can do is come and witness it, as much as he doesn't want to see it.

He stays close by Phil's side, hands clenched into fists so tight the leather of his gloves makes an audible squeaking sound. A part of him registers Phil's distress, certainly, but at the moment, he's not sure he's capable of being comforting, not when he himself feels like a wound coil about to snap.

Instead, he just moves a little closer until his shoulder is brushing up against Phil's, a silent confirmation that he's right here.]

[scythegun]

[Yeager considered skipping this and remaining in his room, but ultimately, he wants to see what happens. Two deaths, two different executioners... And perhaps privately, he feels like he needs to see what happens to SQ. Regardless, he's here, expression set in something blank for once.]

[heroicact]

[Ah, here they all are again.

Like the winding of the clock tower that felt like a small success this week, like the ticking of the pocketwatch in his fingers (he shouldn't take it out, he won't take it out), round and round and inevitable.

Jack is quiet, and leans against one of the mirrors; doesn't avert his eyes to a mirror this time, but keeps his gaze on C-ta and Rika; the Professor and SQ will dwell in his hearing, though, like a terrible mockery of a countermelody.]

[purefuries]

[ It feels strange to be on the other side of this, now, especially since one of these deaths shouldn't be happening.

Junko sits and watched, brows furrowed, picking at the bandages on her palm. ]

[laytorest]

[She's here, hands folded politely in front of her, head tilted down but eyes, nevertheless, on the unfortunate and their executioners.

She'll watch them both through. She owes that much to them.]

[vogelfrei]

[ McGillis is here and for some reason rather transfixed on the conversation between C-ta and Rika. He's looking gloomier by the moment and by the time the words 'best friend' fall, his gaze is on the floor instead. ]

sweats

[amortristis]

[ As usual, Morgan lingers towards the back, as quiet as ever. There's nothing more she can really do, but if they have to do this, the least she can do is be there for them, particularly SQ.

... feeling powerless like this isn't something she's overly fond of, she's coming to realize. ]

[libirdian]

[ Nageki will stay quiet unless spoken to, but he does listen intently to the conversations around him...in place of actually looking at everybirdie straight on.

He doesn't want to be here. Still, it's their decisions that led them to this point. The least he could do is be present for their send off. ]

[sempiternel]

[ She should not have abstained she should not have abstained she should not have abstained she should not have abstained -

SQ she's so sorry. ]

[ideismo]

[Alexei makes a point to be here, though again his expression is difficult to read; he seems...disinterested in saying much, though he will if approached, but otherwise he just keeps his gaze on what's happening with SQ.

He doesn't feel guilty about it, because that path is dark; he's done what he can live with, and for now that's going to have to be enough.]

Post-Execution

[eternaljune]

[After a painfully long ten minutes, Rika emerges from the execution room covered in C-ta’s blood and doesn’t appear to be staring at anything in particular.

Sometime after, Rika can be found in the mansion kitchen, leaving a small mess of set aside ingredient bottles in search of something. Dammit. Does this place even have cooking sherry in stock? She’s getting desperate.]

[gemuinemanagement]

[No, it doesn't have sherry, but it does have Suga trying once again to cook for himself. He glances in Rika's direction and freezes at the sight of all the blood she's covered with.

It could be SQ's, he reminds himself. He doesn't have to assume. He didn't want to know who the person was who killed C-ta, no matter that it was Hamelin to blame in the end.]