WEEK FOUR: 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, Atsushi and Vin alone will begin to walk through as though drawn. All you can do now is watch and wait.

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Comments

[countermeasures]

[she squeezes her shoulder, trying desperately to project calm vibes to her to ease the fear.

(it's not entirely calm - she's afraid, too. worried. it creeps out at the edges, like it's a monster under the bed and the calm from her hairpin is a blanket draped over it.)]

[petalbursts]

[ her heart sinks when she hears vin yell out this isn't you!. and she just stops breathing for a second...this is heavy and her heart hurts. ]

[countermeasures]

[oh no...

jiuqing's heart sinks, too, and she shifts her hold from ruby's shoulder to her hand]

[petalbursts]

[ she lets out a shaky breath, holding tight onto jiuqing's hand. ]

...Vin

[countermeasures]

[she's not surprised that vin volunteered for this, and she knows that watching it would hurt her if someone else had - just the way it's hurting ruby - but she still can't help but wish that she didn't have to go through this.

vin deserves much better. all three of them do.]

She'll make it back.

[she will.

(and maybe... maybe somehow, atsushi will, too. it's hard not to hope, after last week.)]

[petalbursts]

[ she gasps, as vin plunges the dagger into his chest.

reaching up to grip at her own chest, she lets out a choked noise. ]

[daggering]

[ just - squeezing the hand of hers that he has, tight, when she gasps.

there are no words. ]

[petalbursts]

[ she doesn't look away...but tears do well up in her eyes.

she squeezes hard back... ]

[countermeasures]

[oh no.

jiuqing flinches, and hugs ruby. this is a lot to watch, and with that anxiety - it's a lot to feel, too.]

[petalbursts]

[ then there's the last blow...he turns to color and fades...

ruby grips to both vax and jiuqing and

starts to sobs. ]

[countermeasures]

[damn it.

grief wells up in her, and she holds onto ruby tightly. she was hoping - maybe it had been foolish, but she'd really been hoping...

(it wasn't just choosing combat that had saved them, last week. what did they do then that they didn't do now?)]