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MINGLE LOG | WEEK SEVEN
THE FINAL STRETCH
When everyone wakes up on Monday morning, perhaps with heavy or anxious hearts, they'll all feel compelled to gather once more in the courtyard. After a long day of praying, it's time to see the results of Saturday's verdict. Beauty and Sincerity are waiting for them, as all the gods have, on the steps at the entrance to the altar room; they wait for the participants to gather before Beauty speaks.
"Above Suspicion. A power that allows the holder to charm the deities into forgiving a transgression of any magnitude. But this power is a bit unusual..." He pauses for dramatic effect. "Should the power not be used at all to charm one of us, an individual may use it to earn a single pardon from an execution for anyone they so wish." There's another beat as he turns, picking out Sasuke in the crowd.
"Uchiha Sasuke. You have been voted guilty for the crime of murdering Catra-san. However, you have been selected to be pardoned of this crime. Congratulations on another week." With that, Beauty gives a short bow before stepping back to Sincerity's side.
"...and it seems Sasuke-kun isn't the only one who's been given a second chance."
Sincerity glances upwards at the sky, as if waiting for something. A moment later, it happens - a bolt of lightning strikes an empty space in between the gods and the participants, and when the smoke clears, Catra stands there, alive and mostly well.
"I have to admit, I wasn't sure if that timing was going to work, but... here we are. I'm sure there are some mixed feelings about all this, but seriously, guys, I've gotta say - I'm impressed. In the end, you managed to have a week where no one was removed from the contest after all. I just hope this isn't the only time it happens." This is said with a tone of voice that makes it pretty clear he's expecting some amount of discontent, but... hope springs eternal. "Anyway... our time here is just about up. Play nice, now."
With that, Beauty and Sincerity depart.
Still, even in their absence not a soul feels as if they should leave. They all get the sense that the last week has now drawn to its close, and the seventh week has, at once, begun. Two figures emerge from the altar room, and who they are should be easy enough to figure out by process of elimination - Piety and Ambition.
Piety, carrying a scroll in his arms, addresses the group first as he starts to unfurl it with careful, measured movements.
"Good morning, everyone. It's so good to finally have a chance to be here with you all--but before all of that, allow me to present you with the week's opening tally."
When the scroll is completely unfurled, he begins to read the follower counts aloud. As the words are read, the text etched into the polished white stone columns that line the courtyard rewrites itself to accurately display the following:
He rolls the scroll back up once he's finished, and then with a polite bow to the crowd, nods to Ambition, who starts talking immediately. She seems like she's in better spirits than she was last week, which, all things considered... isn't that surprising.
"Okay, everyone, listen up! Just like every week, there are new locations and new rules. About the rules - look them over and follow them. They're pretty simple, so it would be utterly ridiculous if you went and broke them, you know? So don't, like, do that."
She waves a hand a little bit dismissively, as if it should be as simple as that.
"As for your new locations, we worked hard on them. So actually use them, but ugh, don't go and kill anyone there, okay? I really don't want to have to hold a trial this week and Piety probably doesn't want to either. Aren't you guys sick of them by now?"
...and she just keeps going. Piety doesn't seem all that inclined to interrupt her.
"I know I am. They're such a headache, we should have made a rule against having a trial. Ugh, why didn't we think of that sooner? We should have..."
And then, like a bubble bursting, the hold keeping them there vanishes even before Ambition finishes talking (someone has taken pity on the group), and everyone is free to explore as they please. For the first time, none of the statues vanish from the courtyard.
"Above Suspicion. A power that allows the holder to charm the deities into forgiving a transgression of any magnitude. But this power is a bit unusual..." He pauses for dramatic effect. "Should the power not be used at all to charm one of us, an individual may use it to earn a single pardon from an execution for anyone they so wish." There's another beat as he turns, picking out Sasuke in the crowd.
"Uchiha Sasuke. You have been voted guilty for the crime of murdering Catra-san. However, you have been selected to be pardoned of this crime. Congratulations on another week." With that, Beauty gives a short bow before stepping back to Sincerity's side.
"...and it seems Sasuke-kun isn't the only one who's been given a second chance."
Sincerity glances upwards at the sky, as if waiting for something. A moment later, it happens - a bolt of lightning strikes an empty space in between the gods and the participants, and when the smoke clears, Catra stands there, alive and mostly well.
"I have to admit, I wasn't sure if that timing was going to work, but... here we are. I'm sure there are some mixed feelings about all this, but seriously, guys, I've gotta say - I'm impressed. In the end, you managed to have a week where no one was removed from the contest after all. I just hope this isn't the only time it happens." This is said with a tone of voice that makes it pretty clear he's expecting some amount of discontent, but... hope springs eternal. "Anyway... our time here is just about up. Play nice, now."
With that, Beauty and Sincerity depart.
Still, even in their absence not a soul feels as if they should leave. They all get the sense that the last week has now drawn to its close, and the seventh week has, at once, begun. Two figures emerge from the altar room, and who they are should be easy enough to figure out by process of elimination - Piety and Ambition.
Piety, carrying a scroll in his arms, addresses the group first as he starts to unfurl it with careful, measured movements.
"Good morning, everyone. It's so good to finally have a chance to be here with you all--but before all of that, allow me to present you with the week's opening tally."
When the scroll is completely unfurled, he begins to read the follower counts aloud. As the words are read, the text etched into the polished white stone columns that line the courtyard rewrites itself to accurately display the following:
AMBITION: 6 FOLLOWERS
JUSTICE: 3 FOLLOWERS
BEAUTY: 2 FOLLOWERS
INDULGENCE: 2 FOLLOWERS
LOVE: 2 FOLLOWERS
MERRIMENT: 2 FOLLOWERS
PIETY: 2 FOLLOWERS
CUNNING: 1 FOLLOWER
DISORDER: 1 FOLLOWER
SINCERITY: 1 FOLLOWER
He rolls the scroll back up once he's finished, and then with a polite bow to the crowd, nods to Ambition, who starts talking immediately. She seems like she's in better spirits than she was last week, which, all things considered... isn't that surprising.
"Okay, everyone, listen up! Just like every week, there are new locations and new rules. About the rules - look them over and follow them. They're pretty simple, so it would be utterly ridiculous if you went and broke them, you know? So don't, like, do that."
She waves a hand a little bit dismissively, as if it should be as simple as that.
"As for your new locations, we worked hard on them. So actually use them, but ugh, don't go and kill anyone there, okay? I really don't want to have to hold a trial this week and Piety probably doesn't want to either. Aren't you guys sick of them by now?"
...and she just keeps going. Piety doesn't seem all that inclined to interrupt her.
"I know I am. They're such a headache, we should have made a rule against having a trial. Ugh, why didn't we think of that sooner? We should have..."
And then, like a bubble bursting, the hold keeping them there vanishes even before Ambition finishes talking (someone has taken pity on the group), and everyone is free to explore as they please. For the first time, none of the statues vanish from the courtyard.
OOC NOTES
Just like last week, make sure you watch for any announcements concerning updates to existing mechanics that may appear throughout the course of the week! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us through plurk or discord, and we'll do our best to clear everything up for you as quickly as possible. If you've elected to change factions, please make sure you select an updated power and report it under the reporting toplevel!
Have fun, everyone!
Have fun, everyone!
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