WEEK THREE: EXECUTION

[saturations]

EXECUTION: TRIAL BY COMBAT

Sunday morning starts peacefully enough, until around noon, when alarms start going off on your phones. The dreadful noise is accompanied by a reminder of the execution taking place in the Central Node. You can snooze the alarms at first, but they begin to get a little more insistent. If you're being stubborn, you can probably hold out until exactly 1 PM, when an archway opens right in front of you and pulls you in.

Today the Central Node is eerily quiet and empty. There are a few blankets laid out on the grass for those of you who wish to sit instead of standing the whole time. No refreshments have been provided, but the Residents are already there waiting for you.

As the last person enters the node, an enormous archway suddenly opens. This archway once again leads to an area which is pitch black inside, with white and grey dust falling softly like snow. The chilly air feels even colder than before, and you instinctively know you must not approach it. If you try to push through anyway, something is blocking your way. Smaller tears to the same space open in the air, at the very least. You can see what's happening, even if you can't follow.

Because - once the archway is open, Percy and Vax'ildan alone will begin to walk through as though drawn. All you can do now is watch and wait.

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Comments

[9mon]

[They said this was how it was gonna be, after all.

He's curled up, head tucked between his knees so he doesn't have to watch.]

[dms]

[ well. as usual, kazunari is right here with kumon, an arm around his shoulders. ]

[9mon]

[There's a small pause before he slightly leans into Kazu.]

[dms]

I'm not going anywhere, buddy. You don't have to watch.

[9mon]

[A soft noise of confirmation.

He does not uncurl.]

[dms]

[ the boom of the gunshot makes kazunari flinch, squeezing his eyes shut against the sound as he holds a little tighter onto kumon. ]

[9mon]

[The gunshot is enough to make Kumon cling onto him, keeping his eyes shut.]

[dms]

[ something about the fight makes his hands shake a little, so he drops his free hand to the keychain on his belt loop, hoping that the calm of amber will help keep him steady. ]

Really wish we didn't have to be here for this...

[9mon]

[A noise that sounds like he agrees.

It seems the prism wants them to, if not witness, experience these Sunday deaths.]

[dms]

[ watching vax and percy is bad enough, but the smoke... kazu's breath catches when he sees it. so it's like the wax from before, huh.

and now vax has wings? maybe that would be cool if it was for literally anything else. ]

Maybe they can finish it faster, now.

[9mon]

[Sometimes you do not look up and you miss the cool wing thing. Your eyes are closed so you also miss the worrying smoke thing also.

Will they really finish faster...]

[dms]

[ this is so much. he touches kumon on the shoulder, staring in confusion, wondering if it's too early to be relieved. ]

Hey, Kumopi... I think they're okay.

[9mon]

[ He nervously, tentatively looks up at the scene, at the voice that he doesn't know. ]

... Is... It over?

[ He wants to believe, but how can they be sure. ]

[dms]

I think so. And... they're alive.

[9mon]

[ He's crying with relief. All that dread and anticipation building up from last night and they are alive. Whatever did this, whoever allowed this to happen, he's grateful. ]

[dms]

[ well

malik is happening and we're leaking color so

this is fine ]

[9mon]

[Never a dull moment, as he coughs up color.]

What--

[dms]

[ as all of this happens around us, kazunari is frozen in place except to glance between steel and malik in horror as his grip tightens uncomfortably on kumon's arm. ]

[9mon]

[He looks away from Malik because he's realized that somehow makes everything worse.

Kumon tugs on Kazu's shirt.]

You don't have to look.

[dms]

[ what a change, from offering such platitudes to being on the receiving end, but he can't seem to tear his eyes away. ]

But JiuJiu...

[9mon]

We can help them after. We'll get them to the med bay, okay?

[Because... because they have to be okay. They have to believe they'll survive this.]

[georeject]

[who knows a thing about physical proximity right now, but clarte will reach to gently touch kazu's arm.]

[dms]

[ as tense as he is, kazunari flinches. only when he realizes it's clarte does he relax, just a little, and leans into the touch. ]