( 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]

[ 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. ]