WEEK THREE - Retirement

[al2955]

the pygmalion. . . ONLINE CAPTAIN'S LOG: WEEK (3)

sunday EXECUTION (34) survivors As voting comes to an end, a song filters in played so loud that it becomes distored and fragmented. If a participant checks their datapad, they will see the the victim and suspect chosen by majority's pictures displayed. If they attempt to scroll, they will see a list of characters and their votes in alphabetical order.

victim



culprit



Character Statuses
Setting
Rulebook
Votes

Comments

RESULTS

[al2955]

[ After the song ends, an announcement plays.

Shelley Winters: 1
Lavi: 27
Arumat P. Thanatos: 1
Machias Regnitz: 1
Abstained: 1 ]

Your votes have been tallied. Congratulations! You discovered the true culprit, Alita Tiala. [ A pause. ] That was a joke. The culprit is Lavi. Time will be allotted for the culprit to be spoken to.

[booklore]

I don't have anything to say to anyone. Talking would just make this harder, y'know?

[ Pause. ] I do have a request though. I want Timcanpy to be with me, no matter what happens. As long as he agrees, it's better for him than being stuck here with a bunch of strangers.

[thanatosincarnate]

{ He'll glare at him. }

How could you smile like that, even now?

[parodeity]

I mean, if you have no intention of tellin' us why the fuck you killed your friend it's not like we can force you to do it? Aside from the whole paranoia whatever thing I assume played a huge factor here.

[ so uh

ok ]

[chiseler]

[The hell you don't have anything to say to anyone. It's not even that he's close to Lavi in particular, but he likes the guy enough and...killing one of your friends? Killing one of your good friends? Killing someone you know that much about? After everything...it doesn't sit well with him.

So yeah, fuck this, he's out of his chair and knocking it over and trying to lunge, excuse him.]

What in the gods' name happened? [Frankenstein your assistance is needed here. Just in case. He's not exactly wanting to kill Lavi with his bare hands but...an explanation? Maybe?]

[breakshot]

[ Yeah, he's not outright glaring but he's looking pretty intense. ]

At least tell me why.

[tevinteriscoming]

No, you've made that very clear.

[unasking]

[NOW ENTIRELY SEPARATE FROM THE LUKE FIASCO:]

I don't quite forgive you for what you did to Machias.

[Honestly.

But-]

I can't imagine it being easy for you, knowing what you did to someone whose favorite foods you had memorized.

I hope you'll be able to eat them with him again someday.

[allout]

[ honestly, minako isn't too surprised. the results were the results, and it wouldn't be the first time she's seen a betrayal end in the loss of a life.

but she's curious. ]

You don't look like you have regrets. Either that, or you've got a pretty good poker face.

[muties]

Why you gotta be so rude? Just, like. Tell us why you did the thing and don't be a shit about it. Nothin' hard about it.

[missmaladroite]

Weren't you two friends?

[Lavi's done nothing but be a douche all over this post, but this is something Marinette can't really understand]

[jackhole]

[ okay but three weeks of this and HE'S HAD ENOUGH so time to argue with alice

sorry, lavi. he's ignoring you. ]

Alice! [ bangs fist on table ] Alice! I have an issue with this set up!

[ HE HAS A COMPLAINT. ]

[al2955]

I am afraid I forgot my complaint box, Rhys, but you are free to rate, comment, and review the case.

[refactor]

Man, you are on a roll this week, babe.

[ Jack is definitely cackling right after, since Rhys being Rhys is always 10/10 hilarious. ]

What, like you don't have a complaint the rest of the time?

[muties]

Alice, no, you can't reuse the same shitty joke. Are there any joke books on the tablets? 'Cause you need one, christ.

[toprotecttheworld]

Does anyone else feel like they forgot to do something this week?

[ someone didn't motto :'( ]

[brooches]

And another one gone...

[ She's going to sound a lot more annoyed at this point. She doesn't have enough energy for sadness. ]

When will this end?

EXECUTION

[al2955]

[ After Lavi is doing saying his 'goodbyes', he collapses sporadically. His body hits the floor, expressionless and deanimated like a rag doll.

Seconds later, a holographic screen is cast over the table. Lavi appears in a completely black area, empty and devoid. He looks around in confusion - and then sucks in a sharp breath as he’s suddenly surrounded by dozens and dozens of people. 48 to be precise, all clearly copies of Lavi himself at various ages ranging from infancy to teenage to adulthood. Their faces show no emotion save for their eyes, which glare at Lavi with dark disapproval.

Suddenly, all of them lunge for Lavi at once. There’s no weapons brought out in play, no finesse in their attack; it’s clear their only tactic is to overpower him with sheer numbers. Lavi, on the other hand, immediately summons his hammer. He crushes the skull of one of his clone easily enough - then shouts in alarm and pain as the clothes and skin on his arm suddenly starts flaking off. Instead of revealing muscle or flesh though, something white and smooth like plastic shines through. Lavi stares in shock at it for a moment - but he doesn’t have any more time to gawp as more clones attack.

He shoots fire at them and they fall, but with each one down, more and more of his skin begins to disintegrate. Ten down, and his arms are nothing but smooth plastic. Twenty, and most of the skin and clothing has been stripped from his legs as well. His expression also changes; while it’d been twisted with shock and pain and anger at first, the more clones he kills, the more emotions drain out of his face. By the time forty falls, most of Lavi’s body from the neck down resembles nothing so much more than a store mannequin - and yet it’s his face that looks the most lifeless of all.

The 48th and final clone finally falls beneath his hammer. Lavi stands still and silent, barely even panting with exertion, and for a moment it seems like this is all that will happen. But then abruptly, a light begins to shine in this pitch-dark world. Allen Walker, translucent like a phantom and yet still the brightest thing in the area, fades into view. He runs towards Lavi, mouthing something frantically; the audience watching this won’t be able to hear his words, but it’s clear from his expression that he’s pleading for Lavi to come to his senses. Lavi turns - appears to hesitate for a moment -

and then his hammer slams into Allen’s skull one final time. In his last throes, Allen still reaches out towards Lavi desperately, his hand landing on Lavi’s face. It should be a futile gesture, and yet -

Lavi’s face, eyes and mouth and skin and all, slides from his head in Allen’s grasp as easily and effortlessly as a paper mask, leaving nothing but completely blank white plastic behind. As Allen falls, so too does the doll that had once been Lavi crumble and fade from existence.]

[thanatosincarnate]

{ He watches the whole entire time, because even though the circumstances were complicated, it would still be wrong to not sit through it all. Then again, it doesn't seem like people had much choice in that.

Do they ever have much choice in anything they're doing here?

His expression is cold as usual, with his eyes appearing to have a hard gaze to them, but there is a little bit of sadness to them as well. Instead of leaving when it's over, he seems to just linger somewhat in his spot, gazing ahead before he closes his eyes for a moment.

After he's taken his moment, he'll probably leave. }

[tevinteriscoming]

[Okay, great. Well, that was fucked up and sad. As soon as it ends, Dorian will just be gathering the expensive bottles of wine he's been ordering all trial and smuggling them out under his robes.

Sorry, Liz.]

[unasking]

[This, more than any other trial, has taken a toll on Frankenstein.

He watches the execution, though anyone who observes can watch his expression grow colder and colder, more uncomfortably pinched as it goes on. When Allen appears, a flash of genuine pain crosses his expression - though it may just be a trick of the light as it's gone so very quickly.

Unlike others, he does not rise immediately. Rather, he beckons over a robot to bring him a single glass of wine.

And instead of his usual tea, that is what he drinks.]

[chiseler]

[...this is even worse to watch. He doesn't say anything as he silently watches the whole thing play out and he's visibly more uncomfortable right up until Allen shows up. Considering he was shoving teenagers in vents and lighting his clothes on fire this weekend, this is the thing that makes him flinch and he's busy staring at the tabletop by the time it's over.

It's over. After a moment, he's beckoning a robot to bring him a bottle of wine and rising from his seat. He's moving this pity party somewhere else.]

[missmaladroite]

[This is really hard for Marinette to watch. But yet, she can't turn her eyes away. Her reaction this week is much more muted compared to her previous public freakouts, but she can't help but look horrified again.]

This is so cruel....

[al2955]

[Before the doors unlock tonight, Alice has one last announcement to make.]

It appears that one of our players has not voted. As always, abstaining from votes will no longer be tolerated.

[Abruptly, Todd Smith stiffens and falls over, his bodies apparently paralyzed and locked into place. A robot comes in and carries him out; the only signs that he's still alive is his eyes that are darting around frantically.]

You shall be put back into stasis until you learn how to properly behave and follow the rules. Good night to you all.

[tevinteriscoming]

[Well, fuck. Great.]

Alice, I hope we won't find him decorating the walls later this week. Or if we do, not in the parlor, please.