BZPRPG: Kentoku Archipelago

IC: Higashi

"That hat was stupid."

IC: Akone

"I don't think it required violence to convey the point."

IC: Higashi

"I clearly remember hitting only the hat."

IC: Akone

"The impact of a stone travels through the hat. I had bruises for three months."

IC: Higashi

"I was a kid, wasn't I?"

IC: Akone

"I was, too! I was violent then. You knew it was coming."

IC: Higashi

"Yare yare ... Things were so simpler back then."

IC: Amaki

 

"No."

IC:

"Oh well." With one hand I made a fist, splayed my fingers outwards, made a fist. Over and over. "Figured as much."

With the other, my fingers drummed against the table.

"Your music was excellent, by the way, if that's any consolation."

-Void

IC:

A short rain-shower had come in in the wee hours of the morning, the grey clouds spreading a blanket over the Archipelago like a shroud. The rain had blocked off the horizon behind a fuzzy veil, shrinking the world down to the confines of Sado's beaches, until the first light of the rising sun. It was only fitting the mood, Ayiwah thought, feeling dreary, deeply sad and a little lost. But she was still on her feet. This was how the Dasaka dealt with such tragedy: They honored the dead, did it in an orderly fashion and then did everything in their power to fix what could be fixed.

Except of course, the ones that had caused the tragedy in the first place. Ayiwah knew she should feel anger at the thought, but she was numbed, fully embracing her rank and the role that came with it right now.The Rora, a strict ruler but kind woman, lay dead. They had taken her body away in the meantime, but the blood had remained until the rain had come. But even that had not been able to fully remove the stains. This was not supposed to happen. It should not have happened. There were so many guards, so many helpers and so many non-soulswords that somebody must have sensed something. But as she, Mako and the others who had immediately sprung into action had screened the guests before letting them leave the palace, they had not found anybody showing signs of being guilty of the crime among them. That left her with two vague ideas as to what might have happened: A willhammer taking over one of the guests or a guard at the party, using them to carry out the hit - or somebody who was close enough to the Rora and knew her schedule well enough that they could plan the public execution without ever coming under suspicion. 

The latter scenarion especially cut deep, but her mind did not dwell on it, as her thoughts chased each other in circles, replaying the crucial moments of the evening over and over again, trying to find the clues, the signs she might have missed, indicators of something being wrong. But she could not pinpoint any. And then the memories rewound and played again. 

Where did we fail?

Somewhere in the back of her head, there was a voice that urged the commodore  to sit down somewhere, that her feet were aching, that she needed to eat something, rest and collect her thoughts. She was still in her ridiculously revealing dress, sans the mask though, which lay on a table nearby. The dragon hall was quiet again, reflecting the weather outside. It was nearly empty too, safe for the servants and guards going about their business and the few guests who had stayed to help. The ones in Ayiwah's immediate vicinity were the ones she had spent the majority of the party with. Mako, the old Datsue who seemed not quite ready to leave behind his days as a Menti guard, using his mental powers to aid in the screenings as much as possible. Xania and Sinshi, who had actually gotten around to dancing for a little bit and enjoying the party before the unfathomable happened. And of course, Tazera, her best friend and finest first mate she'd ever served with. They all looked like the long day and night they had behind them. 

"Twenty-four hours and counting." she commented dryly, looking at her companions. "How are you holding up?"

IC: Vilda Mako (Dragon Hall)

"Somewhere between half dead and walking corpse, I gather" I muttered without a shred of mischief or humor in my voice.

Even as I bobbed my head to cover for a yawn, I unflinchingly steeled myself to avoid a single noise of dissatisfaction or unease escape my lips. I had a job to do, and as such it was not time for arsing about like I usually did. Even that remark just now to the Commodore's question was pushing it.

Kama was less composed than I was, and had in fact already decided to take a nap by herself perched somewhere under the ceiling.

The Commodore looked about as bad as I felt, no surprises there.

"I have to say," I began, "after looking at this place a second time I can already guess what a nightmare it must've been to secure the place. All these open spaces and shadowy corners and doors... it's a bodyguard's worst nightmare come to life"

IC: Amaki

"Thank you," said Amaki qietly, face still downcast. "I had wanted to make my grand debut here, you know?"

IC: Akone

"Yeah... We were kids back then. All this," Akone gestured to the Dragon Hall, "would have been inconceivable to us back then."

IC: Higashi

"Yeah."

IC: Akone

The two Dasaka stood in silence, each with their thoughts, amidst the sea of grieving party attendees.

IC: Higashi

"So ... what have you been up to recently?"

IC: Akone

"Guardening?"

IC: Higashi

"Do you like, do anything else?"

IC: Akone

"Eat egg fried with meat?"

IC: Higashi

"Do you actually get out much anymore?"

IC: Akone

"A few months ago, yes, but now not so much."

IC: Higashi

"Why's that?"

IC: Akone

"Dunno. Busy? The last month or so has been a full time shift."

IC: Higashi

"Pretty sure you ain't supposed to work that much."

IC: Akone

"That was hyperbole, Highashi. I just don't feel like going out the past month or so. Almost like forgot it."

OOC: Self-depreciating reference to my abandonment of Akone for a long while hahhaa.

:'(

IC: Higashi

"Huh."

IC: Akone

"Hmm."

IC: Higashi

"After this, we should really just go out together."

IC: Akone

"Good idea."

IC: Higashi

"Zuto, I still can't believe the Rora's dead, ya know?"

IC: Akone

"It all seems so... surreal."

IC: Higashi

"Yeah. I didn't expect this at all."

IC: Akone

"This is one crazy party. In a bad way."

IC: Higashi

"Yep."

IC: Akone

"What do we do now?"

IC: Higashi

"We wait."

IC: Akone

"That's... Effective."

IC: Higashi

"Nothing else we can really do."

IC: Akone

"That's why it's effective."

IC: Higashi

"I wish I could just go out and catch the ."

IC: Akone

"If we're here the ###### can't escape."