chroma | WEEK FIVE: EXECUTION

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, Roxana and Clarte alone will begin to walk through as though drawn. All you can do now is watch and wait.

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[well.

she was keeping her eyes forward, but when she feels itsuki tuck his handkerchief into the hand that's not at her mouth, she looks over and sees him with his face into the crook of his elbow.

she frowns behind her hand and tries to press his handkerchief back into his hand. hello? take care of yourself, twink!!]

[he shoots her a guilty look with his EYES only since he's coughing into a very serviceable elbow, and he'd probably refuse it with his twink strength,

except he's distracted by STALAGMITES and probably with whatever's gonna happen to Clarte with JAN'S ROLL OF 1 so he lets Jiuqing put his hankie back in his twink hand]

[once the hankie is back in his hand she puts her hand over his to direct it to his mouth. cough into your hankie, sir. you have one. use it.

and then she looks back at the fight, stressed, and coughs worriedly. but her hand is over her mouth so it's fine.]

[JIUQING WHY DO YOU ALSO NOT CARRY HANKIES???

but Itsuki is hankie-ed, he'd be grateful for it too, this makes it easier for him to concentrate on whatever's happening...

At Clarte's words, he blinks in surprise -- Melina? That's the name of... He manages to speak behind his hankie]

-- What's happening? [IS THSI BINCH HALLUCINATING?]

[she does she's just preoccupied]

...she mentioned... [cough] ...hallucinogenic butterflies, didn't she? When she was talking with Crow, yesterday.

Edited 2022-03-27 19:01 (UTC)

...Shit.

[it's a good move to pull though, even if it is in place like this -- where they've all seen illusions.

then Roxana swings her sword and he flinches again]

-- Shit!

[jiuqing gasps, both her hands coming up to her mouth - the gasp turns into a bloody cough, and she starts forward, as if she can run to join them through that archway, but -

her feet stay exactly where they are. she can't move.]

Clarte!

[...and then they snap out of it.

her shoulders sag with relief for just a moment before tensing up again. this isn't over yet.

it won't be over until one of them is dead.]

Edited 2022-03-27 19:22 (UTC)

[neither clarte nor roxana are asking for miracles, but Itsuki wishes for one anyway. the rest of them who have to watch, don't their desires matter --

and then Roxana kisses Clarte and his mind goes ????????????????????]

Why do people kiss so much here?

[ making a face that says "this is giving me flashbacks" ]

Oh, that can't be good.

...

[well, watching clarte's reaction - ]

...poison...?

Definitely.

[ raishaun flashbacks ]

[no, no...

jiuqing tries to surge forward, but of course she can't move, and she growls lowly, clearly frustrated.]

Clarte! Get up!

[ i also do not trust either of them so vax is right there with her, wiping blood from the back of his mouth with his wrist and practically vibrating in place. ]

[the stress is so real

f5s flatview repeatedly]

[WE'VE ONLY GOT 20 KISSES THAT ISN'T EVEN CLOSE TO ENOUGH]

Is this like Nogiku-san...?

[this is really rude to nogiku but he means is this a gumball

except clarte is looking funky???]

[clarte sure is looking funky]

Poison...?

[oh okay it's not a gumball it's just poison,

Itsuki smears some of the blood off his mouth with his hankie, expression tense.]

It's not over yet.

[it's a cruel picture that roxana makes, but itsuki takes note of the sword still in her hand]

...no, it's not.

[she bites her lip, suppressing a cough, and swallows hard. gross. it's fine.

her hands are clenched very, very tightly into fists.]

[OH WELL NOW THAT'S HAPPENING, itsuki can't help it -- the word on his lips was Clarte's name, but now]

-- Roxana!

[it's hard not to call out for her.

roxana is a friend too, after all. she killed someone - is trying to kill clarte, on top of that, but jiuqing understands it. roxana has always wanted to survive. isn't that all any of them want?

it's not easy to watch clarte's blade turn on her, even though she'd been urging them to get up just moment's before.]

...Miss Roxana...

(no subject)

nightchild - 2022-03-27 21:00 (UTC) - Expand

countermeasures - 2022-03-27 21:03 (UTC) - Expand

[She knows what he means but she is

still giving him this look because Clarte is fucking dying.]

Did you see her swallow any gumballs...?! [Sir.] At the beginning, she aimed her gun at herself and fired twice.

[he deserves this look...

and now Clarte is on the ground coughing out blood, and Itsuki barely has time to look at Nogiku, his expression desperate. a gumball would be easier to understand, but this? what's apparently happening before their eyes? jan is really doing this to us?]

[Extremely valid. Clarte is possibly still dying, but now so is Roxana.

Nogiku flinches when the blade plunges into her heart.]

Are they both...?

[Jan and Ara would absolutely TPK if allowed. Very cool and fun that the whole audience is still coughing up blood for this. ]

[(ty voice) jan and ara are set free to do as they please

at this rate Itsuki's handkerchief is just like a drenched paper towel, he's tensing up like he's trying to fight the freeze effect, but it's no good]

-- C'mon... Why the hell can't we move...!

pura - 2022-03-27 20:51 (UTC) - Expand

nightchild - 2022-03-27 20:57 (UTC) - Expand

pura - 2022-03-27 21:03 (UTC) - Expand