THE FIRST EXECUTION

[disregartist]

THE FIRST EXECUTION


[Given what has happened, there's hardly any deliberation, or suspense, once the clock chimes again.

One by one, the profiles on the suspect list disappear, until only one is left.]


A unanimous vote, no less.

[The Conductor stands, slipping the pardon from her vest. Without a second's hesitation, she rips it up as she crosses the garden to the center of the podiums. The paper falls to the floor in tatters.]

I shall give you a few moments to say your goodbyes to the Rose; I would suggest not interfering with the execution. In fact, I very strongly suggest against it. Getting caught in the magnetosphere we will be creating will...not end well for anyone who tries, I promise.

Oh, and-you might want to consider putting your sunglasses on. Soon. Very soon.

Comments

LAST WORDS

[disregartist]

[If you have anything to say to Beatrice, well...now's the time to do it.]

Well...I must say I am sad to see you go.

[charmingheroine]

You - I didn't - how does doing what they wanted change anything?

[awitchdidit]

So, here's the thing about being an evil overlord. Take it from me if you won't take it from Dracula.

When you fight the heroes, you have to make sure you win no matter what happens. In this case, if I'd pulled it off, the person I love more than anything else in the universe goes free.

If I lose, I teach you greenhorns how to fight against a witch.

[awitchdidit]

It has been a pleasure. You're great Furniture, Condy, I'll give you that. Maybe if the Empress stops paying so well you'll consider a contract with me in the future?

[disregartist]

[A chuckle at this.]

Payment is hardly the issue when it comes to the understanding between myself and the Empress. But-if you should find a way to come back and the Empress should have something happen to for.

Perhaps!

[telecosmetic]

I wish we could have talked more...you seem to have a lot of interesting stories.

[And if Beato allows it, Eliza will approach for a hug?]

[katzenpfote]

... Is there anything else you'd like me to do on your behalf, Beatrice?

[awitchdidit]

You know, I did kill someone.

But since you're asking, make sure to learn as much as you can about this place. Maybe blow up the sun.

[whitemoontiger]

...I'm sorry you felt that killing someone was a necessary option here.

[ Straight to the point. He has to refrain from saying anything else after that.

He will be moving to put on the sunglasses all the same, though. ]

[zackthekiller]

[He's not talking to the Rose. He's talking to the conductor lady.]

Wait, we're making a magne-what-o-sphere?!

[disregartist]

No. Your cuffs respond to specific magnetic waves during the execution that I have activated. That and...the method of execution.

Interfering would be a terribly bad idea.

[zackthekiller]

[Zack no speak technobabble, lady. At least he learned not to mess with her the hard way.]

Why, you're gonna cut her up into a million pieces or something?

[unwittingking]

[King isn't even going to say anything. He'll just put on his sunglasses and look on at Beatrice.

Let's get this over with.]

[higanbana]

[It takes a bit of doing, with how her hands are shaking and how she's trying to keep a tight grasp on that ring, but eventually, Ris takes off the half-goggle she's been using as a makeshift eyepatch.

There's nothing much to see here, for anyone looking. Her right eye is closed. Besides, it's not visible for long, anyway, as she's putting on those sunglasses and holding the ring to her chest.]

[technicolourdifficulties]

[...Yeah, he's got nothing to say, but he might have parked himself near Ris. His expression is entirely unreadable due to more having a face shield than sunglasses courtesy of his physiology, but... He's here.]

[eternaldivide]

[ Mithos is... also going to park himself right next to Ris. He's not going to say anything but ... hey he's there if you need anything. ]

[unwittingking]

[King would be next to her as well, but there is already a person on either side of Ris, so...

He'll be next Mithos, still staring at Beatrice, but also glancing at Ris every once in a while.]

[higanbana]

[...you all are too good to her. For her.]

EXECUTION: Like Clockwork

[disregartist]

...well, let's not waste any more time. Everyone put your glasses on.

Except you, of course, Beatrice.

[The rats that unchained the Rose's sunglasses from her podium and tossed them away scurry off, running through the gate of the garden. At this, the Conductor presses a button on her phone. Almost instantly, things start to happen.

First, everyone's cuffs save Beatrice's suddenly send a jolt through their bodies, and they will find, as a result, that while they can move their arms and head to put their glasses on, they otherwise can't leave their podiums. The next is that Beatrice is suddenly dragged into the center of the podium circle, though not of her own will.

There is a loud roar of engines; suddenly, the Eventide is above the garden, a large laser-like apparatus sliding out from beneath its chassis.]

ACTIVATING TELESCOPIC LENS ARRAY

TELESCOPIC POWER 50000%

TARGET: ACQUIRED

[For a moment, nothing happens. Beatrice looks to everyone, and manages to straighten herself up. She raises her burnt arms and gestures to the rest of the crowd as best as she can.]

It's been fun! Thanks for listening to my story.

>[She even manages to take a bow.]

See you again.

[Then the array's glass reflects to its proper angles, instantly plunges Beatrice into a bright spotlight. It's magnified from a place far enough for the strangers to not see, but close enough that the lens array works. Nor is it nothing like sunshine anyone would be familiar with, though-its bright and green and wrong. Even with sunglasses-and really, hopefully, everyone else save Lilac has them on-they can see Beatrice start to writhe and cry under its rays.

Then, she looks up at it and gasps.]

...the Sun...

[There is a look of fear, as if she is struggling with something inside her. But the light is too strong, and even the hardiest butterfly will wither under such intensity.

She breaks, and lets out a screech of joy, her mouth unnaturally wide as she sings praises, even as her body begins to petrify into glass.]

THE SUN!!! LOOK!!! THE SUN!!!! AHAHAHA! I LOVE YOU!! TAKE ME!! TAKE ME!!!

AAAAAAHAHAHAH-

[She laughs hysterically until, at last, her mouth is glass, along with the rest of her. She is a statue, frozen like a piece of expensive furniture.

Until, suddenly, she isn't.]

ACTIVATING WRATH OF HEAVEN

[A massive ball of lilac suddenly shoots out from the center of the armaments car. It is ammunition that none of the strangers have seen until now. It seems to fall in slow motion until it impacts with the ex-Beatrice that is the glass statue.

The result is a scream, a howl, purple sigils swirling around the radius of the hit, and glass flying all over the area, along with a little bit of blood. Thankfully, there is a wide enough berth around the podiums that the glass doesn't hit anyone, save the Conductor, who gets a cut on her face. She merely dabs the cut with her handkerchief, her face completely stony.

Once the smoke and purple glow of the projectile clears, there is little more than a jutting geode of multi-colored glass and rock in the hole where Beatrice once stood. Above, the train turns and chugs back to the dock. The curtain on the second floor quietly closes.

Then the cuffs beep, and everyone is free to go. The Conductor will not leave the garden until everyone else has first; even then, she will stay awhile longer after. No one will be allowed back in.]

[unwittingking]

[Admittedly, King wasn't sure what he was expecting. Maybe something simple, like lethal injection, or a high tech electrical chair at worst. Even though they were told to put on the glasses, he thought it wouldn't be too bad.

This is an entirely new level of horrifying. He can't even move for a good minute after it's all over, even if he's able to now. It's the first thing in a long time that's made him completely surprised, and in the worst way possible.

As soon as he moves again, he'll jump down from the podiums and stay near Ris and Mithos. If he's having trouble with it, he doubts they'll be fine after seeing that.]

[biddentodance]

[He watches every second of it, eyes wide, barely breathing. It's awful. In many, many ways. And he can't move. One single thing stands out to him above all else.

Glass.

Glass, shattered, jagged, accompanied by the shield - either of a witch's laughter or tearing metal. Brilliant, burning light. Fire? Light? He's not sure. He's not sure and he can't move.

Even once they're released, he isn't moving.]

[katzenpfote]

[He hesitates and then steps towards the geode slightly, crouching to pick up a few fragments of Beatrice-glass and tucking them into his pocket before walking away.]

1/2

[zackthekiller]

[Zack begrudgingly put on the sunglasses as everyone else did and...

Well. He's seen some pretty fucked up executions before. A duel to the death, a girl getting baked into a giant cake and served to everyone, that thing with B...

But that? That leaves him staring at the spot Beatrice was shoy for a good moment or two. He props the sunglasses on his head for a moment... Yep. She gone.]

[otherworldlyking]

[ ...

Okay well he couldn't sleep through that even if he tried.

After that spectacle, his eyes land on the geode. But he's not interested in collecting things like that. Though, he does quickly take a canvass of the others out of a vague curiosity if anything.

Then, he'll just eventually take his time leaving, without a hint of being bothered despite the light show. ]

[notthebreakman]

[As the surviving Strangers walk away, a faint, almost ghostly whistle echoes through the garden. It could be just the wind, but it almost sounds like a snatch of melancholy music instead...

No matter; the sound is gone soon enough.]