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

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.]

[higanbana]

[Yeah, about Ris. She's just standing completely rigid, like she's been made some sort of statue herself. Her eyes are frozen wide and tears run down her left cheek.

She's seen horrible things before. She's been responsible for horrible things before. This? This is on a whole other level.

She's probably going to need to be led out of here.]

[unwittingking]

[…this is even worse. He could expect her crying and running out. They were close, after all. But...this shouldn't surprise him either. Beatrice was just turned into glass. It would be more surprising if she didn't react like this.

He'll grab her hand and try to lead her away. He won't talk. He knows he can't say anything that would help.]

[higanbana]

[The worst part is that King doesn't even really get a reaction. Not even a flinch from the girl who screamed the first night that she didn't want anyone touching her.

She just follows.

For the first time since she got here, she might actually seem more like a doll than a person.]

[unwittingking]

[Yeah, that's...that's probably one of the worst reactions he could've got? Part of him wants to hug her, but again, he knows it won't do much to help.

So after he gats Mithos' attention, he'll continue pulling them away from this place.]

[technicolourdifficulties]

[RGB isn't inclined to break the silence, but he does go along with the group. Just not to be alone, you see. It's absolutely not to make sure the kids - especially Ris - will be alright. Definitely not.]

[unwittingking]

[He notices, but will say nothing. Televisions deserve privacy too, after all.]

[eternaldivide]

[ Mithos isn't taking it as badly as Ris, if anything. But he doesn't move either. He just sit there with a dark expression after everything is over.

Just focus on Ris, King. Mithos over here is Fine. ]

[unwittingking]

[Sorry Mithos, but you're the youngest person here, and just because you're taking that whole thing a lot better than Ris doesn't mean he's not concerned about you too.

Mithos should feel King's paw grab at his hand as well, and a tug to try and pull him away.]

[eternaldivide]

[ Oh ... well, he's not going to resist. King can probably tell when he takes Mithos hand that he's very ... tense. He's definitely steeling himself from showing any emotion right now. ]

[unwittingking]

[Not as bad as Ris, he thinks, but still not good. Hopefully trying to rub his hand a little bit will help him loosen up, just a little bit?]

[eternaldivide]

[ Not really. All it does it make Mithos grip King's paw a little tighter but hey that's... a reaction right. ]

[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]

[Frumpkin paws at his leg. Pick him up, please!]

[biddentodance]

[It takes a long few moments for him to respond, looking down at the cat. A few more to kneel, holding out a hand. His fingers twitch, he hesitates...and his expression goes completely blank.]

[katzenpfote]

[Frumpkin leans into him and purrs, before jumping up to his shoulder and snuggling in.]

... Let's go.

[Caleb puts a hand on Minato's other shoulder to steady him and pull him up.]

It's time for you to go sit down.

[biddentodance]

[It is perhaps more concerning that he already is steady. His shoulders aren't shaking, his hands aren't trembling. They're twitching....but the reason for that is likely obvious.

He doesn't resist. It's debatable how aware of his surroundings he is, but at least there's that.]

[katzenpfote]

[He'll just... quietly lead Minato away. He's not doing well either, but he can't break down yet.]

[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.]

2/2

[zackthekiller]

[... Now he decides to speak.]

WHAT THE GODDAMN HELL DID I JUST FUCKING WATCH?!?

[telecosmetic]

Is that what the fucking "secret weapon" is?

[charmingheroine]

Do you really think she's going to explain it to us? We're supposed to have shattered too.

Isn't that right? That's how public executions always work, isn't it? Isn't it?!

[She wants to scream until she can't speak anymore, but this shrillness is all she can muster. It's incomprehensible, even to someone who's been through Dracula's Castle. The sun? Green light, and glass, and... there is no text she's ever read that comes close to it.

Well. One might, but the Emerald Tablet is deliberately cryptic.]

[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. ]