EXECUTION V

[faentasy]

Execution V

The end of this weekend's trial brought many questions and little answers, but like clockwork the time for execution comes like normal. The tune this Sunday has a more cheerful energy than usual, much like the piece that heralded the start of investigation.

It might not do much to change the mood though, given the two men standing in the sealed off space, in the middle of all the mirrors. Raven is there of course, and the man with him is someone else who else who was a fixture of yesterday's trial, Yeager.

Comments

[mirrite]

Yeah, no kidding. That's what the trials are all about, right? Another circus act for his amusement...

[That's just lettin' you all in on the fun~, he'd said. And wow, does he hate that.]

[scythegun]

Honestly, hasn't he gotten bored by now? I feel like he's seen all the entertaining acts he can get out of us.

[maybe he's just not cut out to be a murdergame mastermind........]

[mirrite]

I wish. He sounded way too happy about the whole trial situation...

<Why can't he just make things easy for them, then!!!]

[scythegun]

I suppose maybe that is it - that he's gotten bored and he wanted to change things. Perhaps he thinks agitating us will be more interesting, somehow? Maybe he wants more people to stab him.

[oh my god]

[mirrite]

[LOOK IT'S A LEGIT TRAIN OF THOUGHT!]

Now that you mention it, didn't he sound kind of bored last week? Like he was just there to make sure we did what we were supposed to...

[scythegun]

Oh, we may be onto something here. If he angers enough of us, then surely he'll get stabbed!

[THAT'S NOT THE POINT BUT HE'S NOT LETTING GO OF IT]

[mirrite]

[He is... actually thinking seriously about this now.]

Last time, both of the murderers confessed and accepted what they'd done.

[...]

He wants people to play their roles, but only as long as it makes an interesting story for him.

[scythegun]

Ja, that seems to be exactly it. He really doesn't like people straying from their roles, but I think he may be willing to overlook some alterations if they're entertaining enough.

[He was punished for messing up his own mirror adventures story, but it only lasted a week and he hasn't been set on fire yet, so he's probably fine.]

So for those who play along but do nothing entertaining, I can see where he'd find that rather dull - because he already knows how the story is supposed to go.

[mirrite]

[He nods.]

Which tells me that these "roles" of his might not be as strict as we've been thinking they are. We might be able to use that to our advantage.

[You know, given that they supposedly have two traitors in their midst and all...]

[scythegun]

Interesting... That certainly is an angle I don't think we've considered before. That sounds like something to discuss at the meeting.

[mirrite]

That's what I'm thinking. But at the same time, it might be dangerous if we tipped our hand too soon...

[...]

Look. I need some time to think, but I might wanna to talk to you in the future. You'll understand why when I do.

[scythegun]

[Yeager raises an eyebrow at that, but after a moment he nods.]

Ja, of course. If you do, I'll certainly be willing to listen.

[mirrite]

[He nods in return, his mouth quirking up into a faint smile.]

Gotta weigh the risks and all. You understand, of course.

[Neither of them are the most trusting people...!]

[scythegun]

Oh, certainly! Can't risk making any hasty decisions, ja?

[mirrite]

Hah, I knew you'd get me.

[Then, more seriously:]

Thanks... I appreciate it.

[scythegun]

Of course, Marcus.

[A brief pause, and then...]

And thanks for stopping by.

[mirrite]

I can stick around a little longer if you'd like. Conversation is up to you if you're feeling chatty.

[And if not, that's fine too.]

[scythegun]

[It probably says something weird about him that he isn't feeling as chatty as usual tonight... But he's going to have to power through at some point, so he might as well start now.]

I must admit, I'm rather curious about the world you two come from, if you wouldn't mind discussing it! In particular, I'm curious about... well, about what exactly you are. I don't really know much about it!

[what the heck is a mirrite. he remembers the crash course from that one trial, but beyond that???]

[mirrite]

You mean a mirrite?

[Honestly, he's surprised that no one here has really asked him much about that. You would think more people would think it was strange!]

I guess the best way to explain it is to think of it like being a familiar. We mirrites are a part of our mirrist's heart given physical form. Of course, that means that under normal circumstances, we can't go too far away from our master - our mirrist - or we'll disappear, since they maintain our bodies with anima.

[Because that... explains so much, truly.]

[scythegun]

[If he starts replacing words with his own world's jargon, will it make more sense......]

What exactly is anima? Is that something you're still being sustained by here, or do things work differently in this world?

[is it tp????]

[mirrite]

[M...AYBE? Why are Tales worlds like this, honestly.]

It probably makes more sense if I say it's like life energy. Normally, yeah, I need the anima Phil gives me to maintain my physical form, but as long as I'm here, I'm pretty much like any other human. Phil and I don't have a bond like we do back at home.

[scythegun]

Interesting... I imagine that somehow falls under an "ability" and it was sealed...

[Probably just in case one of them died and the other didn't, but hey so far they're both still here and we're only down one Tales somehow!!!]

That probably feels pretty strange, doesn't it...

[like sure all the mages are suffering, but poor marcus????]

[mirrite]

Yeah, it'd be way too easy to "cheat" if I could feel Phil's emotions the way I usually can.

[He assumes that's the reason, plus the whole "he'd die when Phil dies" thing, but. You know.]

... and you're telling me. I never thought I'd miss having a front row seat to all of Phil's negative emotions until it was gone.

[As unpleasant as that may have been? Not having it feels like a part of him has been ripped away, and it's honestly not a very good feeling.]

[scythegun]

Considering the nature of this little game of Hamelin's, I can see where that might be a blessing in disguise... but that doesn't change the fact that it is a fundamental part of you that's been ripped away.

[He can't understand it exactly, but he has a good enough guess at how much it sucks even if it could be advantageous in some ways.]

It could be this world messing with things... but I imagine Hamelin himself would know for sure, and hopefully you'll have the opportunity to beat the answers out of him.

[oh my god]

[mirrite]

[That's... an uncomfortably accurate assessment of it, yes, and he's not quite sure how to feel about having it put into words like that.

Good thing the next sentence is something that's a lot easier to address without any of those pesky feelings or emotional vulnerability!]

What, you wouldn't want to join in too? Good thing I'm willing to share-- wouldn't want to deny anyone else their chance to give Hamelin his just desserts. Then again, at this point, we'd probably have a line.