( TRIAL - WEEK 5 )

[abhoth]

At exactly 11:30 am, all residents who are still asleep will be jolted awake by a sharp, burning pain that spreads across their whole body. A simple look will reveal no visible injuries, oddly enough, and the pain will fade away as soon as they're properly awake. Those early birds who are already up and about will feel nothing — except maybe a strange, mysterious sense of relief as they go on about their business. Lucky them. Moments later, an announcement will come through the static-filled PA system: "This is Craftly speaking. My apologies for the rude awakening, children. As the Dining Hall is still under reparations — today's trial will take place by the pool. Please do try to be there before noon. My staff members have simply too many duties to tend to, to be escorting each and every one of you out of your quarters. Good day." And true to his words, anyone who doesn't make their way to the Outdoor Dining Area before noon will be dragged kicking and screaming regardless of where they've sequestered themselves. Sucks to be you, huh? Upon arriving there, however, residents will be given the menu, one copy of the rulebook, one pencil, one notepad, and a cheque folder. Due the Kitchen and Dining Hall getting wrecked, lunch and dinner will mostly consist of grilled and barbecued menu items. Hamburgers, hotdogs, salads, and items that require little preparation — all the residents have to do is ask in order to receive. Similarly, all beverages will be retrieved from a hundred quart cooler that has been placed by the side of the pool. Not as fancy as usual, but at least the pool is clean now. Some inflatable pool toys lazily swim in the water, along with pool noodles. A single towel that still has sludge on it floats among the accessories in the pool. Looks like no one bothered to really clean it up from Friday. Every now and then, the waters will vibrate to the sound of buzz saws and assorted power tools. Looks like the Disposal Room, Dining Hall and Kitchen are under reparations still. A tent has been placed over the area to shield the residents from the sun, and to make up from the lack of transparencies everyone will receive a small booklet containing each resident's profile. They look a little bit like shitty PowerPoint presentation handouts, but maybe it's part of the charm. The profiles of the deceased are included, as always. A second tent has been set up in the parking lot, complete with an air conditioning on the inside. Its use will become rapidly apparent once the victims corpses have been wheeled in. Anyone who wishes to step into this area will be asked to wash their hands, and will be given a pair of latex-free gloves and a hairnet by a staff members who is stationed nearby. Residents are required to dispose of both items before returning to their table; a trash bin is available outside of the tent for this purpose. Evidence found during the investigation, on the other hand, will be displayed in a table by the pool shed. Any items found by the residents on Friday will be displayed here for further examination. Finally — one of the grandfather clocks has been kidnapped from its respective floor to show the current hour. Please do remember you have until 9:00 PM to figure out whodunit and cast your vote. And if anyone tries to leave the area before the trial is over? They'll discover an invisible wall blocking their path. ( victims ) Characters will be given nine (9) hours to discuss everything related to the investigation to hopefully solve the mystery behind this week's murder. No one will be allowed to leave the Pool/Outdoor Dining Area (the pool shed will also be locked), and all characters must cast their vote before 9PM EST. You may do so on this week's voting page. If you have any questions or doubts, shoot us a PM or a PP over at yuggoth. ( quick navigation ) voting | profiles | menu | locations | ic rulebook

Comments

[g101]

[ the combination of a smile and a blush is a direct hit to the heart. she's weak to cute things. why is this her life. ] You look really boyish. It's pretty cute.

[ but... she owes him. ] This is the other reason I talked about earlier! Sorry, but I'm not dying with unfinished business.

You're really cute! I couldn't do it before, I didn't... understand the situation, I guess. After the investigation, I think I kind of knew, but I wasn't ready. But... I don't want to leave without telling you that or doing this.

[ standing on the tips of her toes, she'll lean in to kiss him. gently, because his lip is split and she's not looking to make it hurt more. ]

[nowyouseeit]

[he tilts his head, lifting both brows, as though to silently ask her what she means. if he intended to say something along with that expression, well]

[she leans in before he can, mouth pressed against his, and holy shit his heart skips a beat and he swears he's about to spontaneously explode]

[there's a delay, but it's a short one as he regains his bearings. his grip tightens on her hand again, and he leans forward eeever so slightly to return that kiss]

[because]

[well, she's right. they might not see each other again after this, so. . . why the hell not?]

[g101]

[ it is what it is. there's no chance beyond this, and hajime supposes they've only got precious moments. the trouble is, she's not a fantastic kisser; she remembers to close her eyes this time (poor katze), but she's very simple. chaste, the poets might call it. inexperience is mostly what it is.

just another reminder she's dying young.

hajime lingers, then. it's only when she's aware that she's wasting time that she'll pull away, leaning down. for someone so forward, she's wearing a blush. ]

...I think that's as good as we can get here. Maybe another life.

[ who knows, really. ] Sorry. I'm not ready to let go, but I have to. Are you gonna be okay?

[nowyouseeit]

[it isn't as though he's too experienced, either. it may be simple and chaste, but it's still sweet, and honestly? probably a better send off than what he was originally expecting when this trial started]

[he pulls back when she does, inhaling sharply, but his hand has migrated from hers so he can ghost his fingers feather light against her jaw. his face is still beet red, but he looks pretty satisfied at the blush on her cheeks too. he grins]

[aaaaaaaah]

. . . yeah. Maybe another life.

[because even now, he knows his heart beats for another, and that isn't going to change any time soon. no matter how cute or endearing Hajime is, or how bright her smile has shone throughout this whole stupid ordeal]

[he still likes her smile]

I'll be okay. This is. . . what we were fighting for. [as. morbid as that sounds?] What about you?

[g101]

[ you can't expect someone who loves physical contact to not lea into his hand, really. hajime winces when she moves, put she presses his hand closer. ]

Heroes go down fighting. I'll be back lickety-split to give'em a big wallop.

[ apparently jake did get through to her.

hajime raises a fist for a bump. ] I'm gonna put my life in Andie's hands now, but one more for the road?

[nowyouseeit]

[well then! presses his palm against her cheek, smile widening]

You'd better. Even if I can't see it, I'll be cheering you on, okay?

[he withdraws his hand, curls it into a fist, and bumps it against hers]

One more for the road-- [DID SHE MEAN KISS. . . even if she didn't, he's leaning in to steal one more. like the thief he is]

[g101]

Gatcha!!! [ she hasn't been able to do it for a while, but... she forces her left arm over her chest, as if saluting. it looks practiced, mostly smooth and it's clearly something she did a lot before ending up in yuggoth. ]

I won't waste your belief in me, trust in that! [ ... and... THAT'S NOT AT ALL WHAT SHE MEANT BUT SHE'LL TAKE IT. she laughs into his kiss, this time, shoulders shaking lips curled into a smile. it won't last long, because hajime has to pull away to laugh at him some more. BOYS. ]

You really are a thief, through and through! Come on, dude, I've got places to be! People to see! Poison to drink!!

[ so it's light, the smile she wears, but she got her peace. ] See you in a bit.

[ she really can't make andersen wait anymore, so she'll lean in for a quick hug and then leave. it's all very fleeting, but it was still very real. ]

[g101]

I'm sure I've already had enough of whatever you're itching to say, Andie!

[ just saying. ]

Are you ready?

[g101]

[ at that, she offers a soft smile. having things to look forward to softens the blow, a little. ]

Do you have anything you want me to tell the others?

[g101]

[ hajime keeps it in, for the most part. she holds back all the tears and gratitude, and makes note of all this. she doesn't have a photographic memory, but she does have the remarkable ability to believe in other people. she can't wait to tell percival how strong he is, and how much he loves everyone here. despite all the death, she firmly believes andersen would understand her when she sees they're all victims of circumstance.

he calls her a hero and the tears come, big fat crocodile tears that trickle down her face. it's a perfectly calm expression marred by the waterworks, but it's the closest she's gotten to being this openly upset.

andersen coaxes it out of her. of course.

the first one she trusted, and the last one, to boot. ]

...You're a hero, Andie. You're everyone's hero.

[ perfectly suited to the job. they couldn't have found someone better for the job, someone more capable, and she couldn't have found someone she would be more willing to tear this whole place apart. ]

I'll tell them. I'll make sure they know, and we'll be back before you know it. Make sure to take a shot for me.

[g101]

[ she wants to hug him so very badly. ]

I'm not going away without a fight. You said it was war? This is only the battle. [ they lost the battle. they've lost so severely, there's nothing but this - people dying in droves. people turning to those they trust and asking for precious few moments. stolen kisses between teenagers, a few "i love you"s, children holding hands and leaping into the great unknown.

this is it.

and not one of them are winning this battle.

but they'll win the war, and through the tears, it's easy to see that she truly, truly believes in that. ] Even the things that scare us, sometimes... we have to do. Like losing.

[ ...the war's on going. this is a new chapter. the page will turn and a new chapter will begin, starting with hans christian andersen believing so strongly in the people he met here that he was willing to take the deal for them. and maybe, despite how long it'll take, there'll be a close to that chapter. four words only, but bolded and underlined.

They came for him.

that's a future she believes in. ]

I'm Gatchaman. My job is to get rid of things that are a threat to Earth. I came from Earth, so... in the end, this place... I'm going to destroy it thoroughly. And then you'll come back with me.

I'm ready. Are you?

[g101]

Oh! I never told you.

[ she's taking the poison, smiling. there's no point to relaxing now. it'll be all over soon, so she balls her fist up. wiping away her tears, she looks at him over the rim of the glass. ]

I'm G-101. [ let that sink in for a moment.

101.

there's a hundred proceeding her. ]

My robot suit comes with bombs and giant sword-y scissors! If I can help it... There's an army of heroes who never rest. As long as people need us, Gatchaman is here.

[ down the hatch it goes. ]

Why do you think they put us on TV all the time?

[ if he wants a show, she'll give it to him. whatever she has to do to bring him back, she's sure it'll be a doozy. she's sure there'll be so many explosions -- fireworks of all colors, really -- that he won't be able to say he was bored. it'll be worth it. they've only known each other for a few weeks, but she's trusted him as a partner and confidant more and more every day. this is it, the final act she can give him. an incentive, a reward, something to cinch his victory, whatever it may be.

heroes go where they're needed, even if it's by someone's side.

it does't go slow, really, and the first thing that happens is her throat becomes parched. another drink sounds great and the memory of the poison sliding down her throat seems like a tease. her heart thunders, beating faster as seconds feel like hours and andersen starts to blur. to compensate, hajime opens her eyes wide, as if trying to see in the darkness. it doesn't work.

she relies on memories, then. it's weeks flashing before her eyes and her skin is growing paler, sicker looking. she remembers arguing in a trial and laughing about it by the pool. she remembers his words, that he bargained for her. she didn't walk in here expecting to live. her role made her too valuable, but that wasn't what made him want to save her, hajime thinks. no, no. he saved her because if there's anyone she's unleashing the valkyries of valhalla for -- it's hans christian andersen, the heroic spirit and pintsized summon.

she remembers the garden.

she remembers the flowers tucked into his shirt pocket.

the splash of color, blurring, going so smoothly... the world is spinning.

she chokes out a laugh, ] I forgot to make you another boutonniere...

[ the world goes dark. her body tremors, her knees quake, and she falls--

hajime ichinose is dead. ]

[nowyouseeit]

[BOYS!! at least her laughter makes him laugh too, especially when he pulls away. he looks happier than he has all trial, honestly]

Sorry! I can't help it sometimes. Sometimes I just gotta steal something I like.

[his eyes sparkle, and he takes a step back. but then there's a hug, so quick and fleeting he doesn't have time to return it, and he stands there and watches her bound off]

[ah]

[. . . well. despite the hardships, despite everything, for the first time since they got here. . .]

[he thinks things will be okay]