Second trial

[letsplayamod]

The time has come once again. Gather in the arena, it is time for judgement.

[The murky weather outside reflects the mood of the walk out to the cliffs. Once again, several soldiers have stepped free of Typhon's veins to stand guard over the arena. Maybe it's a mistake, but they seem to offer their silent condolence, if not their indifference.

With everyone gathered, a great rift opens once more outside the barrier. Typhon reveals himself, this time only from the waist up. Peering down from his glowing portal, blanketed in the last light drizzles outside your shimmering dome.]

Bah... So safe and secure within your bubble. Or, perhaps not anymore. [He moves to rest a palm on the barrier, and recoils as it once again stings his palm.] See what your Athena has 'gifted' you - nothing but strife. A broken world that needs rebuilding... But no matter. I will complete that task once we are through.

You have your evidence. Now, begin.

[TRIAL START]

Comments

[liedol]

[ ... Ai lets out a short, pained breath. ]

Yeah. You did.

[ She swallows hard. ]

Did you target Alex-kun on purpose? Or would anybody have been fine?

cw: suicide implication

[catsgothistongue]

[...]

... Anyone, including her? She's the one who brought up potential suicide.

cw: suicide implication

[sweetsynergy]

Would it have been suicide? Death's got a plan for everyone, after all.

[Alex talked about it enough, but he wasn't the only one, was he.]

[phototraces]

You were right, Ai. I wasn't aiming for anyone. If no one died, I'd except that, too.

But...

[She stares at the shattered bracelet between their feet.]

Alex and I were the same except... He was an only child.

[liedol]

[ Short, sharp and trembling; ]

And that makes it better?

[phototraces]

Of course it doesn't! I messed up! But it doesn't matter now, does it. The only person in this place who would have understood is gone and now... now everytone is just going to do the same thing they've already done before.

[She's... there's something. Different. Hysterical. The fear, the rage, the helplessness pours out in her voice.]

It doesn't matter. It doesn't fucking matter!

[liedol]

Yeah. You're right. It doesn't.

[ And by startling contrast - there's nothing from Ai. It's strange - not quite cold. More like a light that's finally gone dim. ]

Don't get me wrong. I can't say I wouldn't do the same if I was in your shoes. ... but I wouldn't have done it like this.

[ And with that, she steps back and withdraws back into the crowd of the others. That's all she has to say. ]

[phototraces]

[...Yeah. Of course. It's natural. It's the same. It's always the same. Even if she acted perfectly. If she begged and pleaded to be reasonable they won't listen. She steps back. There's nothing.

It's fine. It's fine. Everything ends and

It's the end of the line.]

[taintedfayth]

[... Seymour steps forward, gesturing with one hand.]

I will send you when you are gone, so that your spirit may be at peace.

[markofnobility]

[Ferdinand doesn't try and stop the verbal and emotional lashing he can sense coming from the others-

(especially leb something BAD is coming from there. he doesn't need his power to tell that)

-because they deserve the chance to vent that rage he too felt at the stable. But he does quietly approach Wendy to offer some unjudging physical comfort, if she's willing to accept it]

[brokenhabit]

[ Hm.

Okay.

Her voice softens. Not a whole lot. But enough. Her fury is quelled into something plainer. ]

You're right. It doesn't anymore. But he wasn't the only person who could understand.

I'm not going to call myself a saint above it all - I thought about Typhon's promise. I will not lie about that. I was selfishly relieved when a murder happened last week and thanked Sayo for taking away that uncertainty about my granny's fate.

I am sorry that it came to this. That the devil's tongue of a Titan felt like the only way. That's all I will say now.

[phototraces]

... It's what it is. I'm going to be gone now either way. So, what does it matter, huh? I tried to take things into my own hands and I messed it up. Maybe I should have tried talking but... doesn't matter now. The dead are dead.

[brokenhabit]

They are.

[ She breathes in-- steadying herself. She could raise her voice. She could yell. But. ]

Alex will be the one to judge you there.

[ She knows what it's like to be sacrificed by someone else.

It's for him to decide if Wendy is forgivable or not. ]

[catsgothistongue]

Bet that makes you feel so much better about this then, huh? After all, you said it yourself: he has nobody left to go back to. No family, no Clear. What's his life compared to yours and your sibling's, right?

[His smile's strained and while he's trying to be blithe and sarcastic, his voice taking on a colder edge to it.]

[phototraces]

I'm not going to waste my last breaths on an asshole like you, Ramna.

[catsgothistongue]

[... sighs.]

Then don't.