WEEK THREE: REMOVAL

[retellers]

WEEK THREE: REMOVAL (32 remain) Time to wake up, participants of the Realm. At 8am, everyone will receive a message on their PHS. go to the savanna at 9. yes we checked for scalpels and/or other stabby items. Even if the participants ignore the message (or are sleeping in, shame on them), as 9am approaches they will fall victim to a compulsion to head to the specified location. Three Leaders, Swan, Goat, and Tiger, are already present, Emet-Selch with them. Goat speaks. "... It is time. May peace come quickly." Once they finish speaking, an alert goes off from a PHS in the crowd—specifically, Hansa's. Their PHS displays a simple message. You have ̶been select͘ed͞. Regardless of their will, they will feel compelled to walk towards the scene. No other participant will be able to interfere; should they try, a barrier blocks their way.

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[dianxias]

[ standing near chiron's other side is xie lian, his hands fisted tightly in his robes at his forearms, knuckles white with his grip. as usual, he glances worried to hua cheng when hansa is chosen -

but otherwise, he doesn't look away, as tense as tense can be.


(now in the right place, this time!) ]

[supremity]

[ A glance back, jaw tight. There will be no happy ending to come from this. ]

[dianxias]

[ hua cheng will be the one to hear xie lian's quiet intake of breath as emet starts to talk, but. otherwise, he stays still.

they chose this. they have to watch it. they have to listen. there is no sense in looking away.

...

as this carries on, xie lian does gasp, suddenly, just a quiet one as he remembers the pocket check - the drawing.

oh.

xie lian shifts but only enough to take a step inwards, a little closer towards hua cheng. ]

[supremity]

[ For the most part, Hua Cheng's attention has been forward. But there is never a time that he doesn't know where Xie Lian is, what his reactions are, and -

When Hansa takes Emet-Selch's hand, when he speaks, there are some long, few seconds where he looks at Xie Lian. Something pinches in his face, but he looks at the scene being played out in front of them afterwards, expression smoothing.

Even if he reaches his right hand out towards him. ]

[dianxias]

[ xie lian misses hua cheng looking at him, with the way his gaze is drawn forward, refusing to miss what emet-selch is saying - the situation that they have all put him and hansa in. what must have happened to them, on their 'excursion'.

he does not miss the gesture, though. there is a beat, and his eyes flick to hua cheng, something profoundly affected on his face, before he returns to the scene before them.

...and it is just natural, for xie lian to slip his left hand into hua cheng's right, red strings crossing as he threads his fingers into his. ]

[supremity]

[ And, in turn, Hua Cheng misses Xie Lian looking at him. But he curls their fingers together when he takes his hand, squeezing, like it could be a lifeline. ]

[dianxias]

[ "proceed", emet-selch says.

xie lian starts to tense even further, and his grip tightens in hua cheng's. ]

[supremity]

[ As Hansa says goodbye - gets it over with, really - Hua Cheng pulls his hand so he's closer to him.

But he keeps watching, regardless. ]

[dianxias]

[ and then it

doesn't ]



....Eh?

[supremity]

[ What in the FUCK ]

I don't have a good feeling about this.

[ THEY CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS, WHAT? ]

[recrowns]

[somewhere in the midst of emet-selch's shaming of them, soo-won spares one concerned glance toward xie lian]

[dianxias]

[ he catches the glance, briefly, making eye contact, but returns his attention to the execution after, still absolutely white knuckling his sleeves. ]